Indanyl- and tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds for combating animal pests

ABSTRACT

Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds for combating animal pests 
     The present invention relates to Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I 
                         
wherein the variables R 1  to R 4  are as in the description.
 
     The invention relates also to methods of combating or controlling insects, arachnids or nematodes, to methods for protecting growing plants from attack or infestation by insects, arachnids or nematodes, to methods for the protection of seeds from soil insects and of the seedlings&#39; roots and shoots from soil and foliar insects and to methods for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection.

This application is a National Stage application of International Application No. PCT/EP2006/068480, filed Nov. 15, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/739,729, filed Nov. 25, 2005, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds for combating animal pests.

Animal pests and in particular insects, arachnids and nematodes destroy growing and harvested crops and attack wooden dwelling and commercial structures, causing large economic loss to the food supply and to property. While a large number of pesticidal agents are known, due to the ability of target pests to develop resistance to said agents, there is an ongoing need for new agents for combating animal pests. In particular, animal pests such as insects, arachnids and nematodes are difficult to be effectively controlled.

Therefore, it was an object of the present invention to provide compounds having a good pesticidal activity and show a broad activity spectrum against a large number of different animal pests, especially against difficult to control insects, arachnids and nematodes.

However, no Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds have been described so far for combating animal pests.

Conventional art describes in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,506, U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,606, U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,140 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,856 ureidotetralin compounds and their use as herbicidal agents and/or animal growth regulators.

It has been found that Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I

wherein

-   n is 1 or 2; -   m is 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein when m is greater than 1, the radicals R¹     may have the same or different meanings -   R¹ is selected from hydrogen, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, SO₃H, COOH,     cyano, azido, nitro, formyl, CONH₂, CSNH₂, CH═N—OH,     CH═N—O—(C₁-C₆)-alkyl, C(═O)R^(1c), C(═S)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl,     C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,     C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₁-C₈-alkylthio,     C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino,     C₂-C₆-alkenylthio, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,     C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynylthio, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl,     C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl,     (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy)carbonyl,     (C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy)-carbonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyloxy,     (C₂-C₆-alkenyl-)carbonyl-oxy or (C₂-C₆-alkynyl)carbonyloxy,     (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl-amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the     aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any     combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another     selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro,     hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,     C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and     C₁-C₆-alkylthio; C(O)NR^(1a)R^(1b), (SO₂)NR^(1a)R^(1b), and wherein     -   R^(1a) and R^(1b) are each independently hydrogen, OH, NH₂,         C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl or C₂-C₆-alkynyl,         and     -   R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl,         C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,         (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, hydrazino,         (C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, phenyl and         heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered         heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms         selected from O, S and N;     -   a radical Y—Ar or a radical Y—Cy, wherein     -   Y is a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, C₁-C₆-alkandiyl or         C₁-C₆-alkandiyloxy;     -   Ar is phenyl, naphthyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered         heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms         selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring         members, wherein Ar is unsubstituted or may carry any         combination of 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another         selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro,         hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl,         C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy,         C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio;     -   Cy is C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted         with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from         the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy,         mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl,         C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂—CB-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,         C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; -   and wherein the radical R¹ that are bound to adjacent carbon atoms     of the phenyl rings may form, together with said carbon atoms, a     fused benzene ring, a fused saturated or partially unsaturated 5-,     6-, or 7-membered carbocycle or a fused 5-, 6- or 7-membered     heterocycle, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2     oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, and wherein     the fused ring is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 radicals,     independently of one another selected from the group consisting of     halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl,     C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,     C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; -   R² is selected from hydrogen, C(═O)R^(2d), C(═S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl,     C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkenyl,     C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino,     di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl,     C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfinyl,     C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfinyl, C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, P(═O)R^(2a)R^(2b),     P(═S)R^(2a)R^(2b), NR^(2a)R^(2b), SiR^(2a)R^(2b)R^(2c),     N═CR^(2a)R^(2b), CR^(2a)=NR^(2b);     -   phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic         ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from         oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or         substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from         halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl,         C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,         C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein     -   R^(2a), R^(2b) and R^(2c) are selected each independently from         hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl,         C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,         C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups         may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by         halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl,         C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,         C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or         C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and     -   R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl,         C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino,         C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,         C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein         the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of         a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy,         mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl,         C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy,         C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or         bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain         1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and         which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1         to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy,         mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy,         C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or         C₁-C₆-alkylthio; -   R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, nitro, formyl,     C(═O)R^(3c/ or 4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl,     C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen,     C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl     wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the     aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3     radicals, independently of one another selected from the group     consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino,     carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy,     C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio, or     C(O)NR^(3a/or 4a)R^(3b/or 4b), (SO₂)NR^(3a/or 4a)R^(3b/or 4b),     phenyl, phenyloxy or benzyl, each of the last three mentioned     radicals may be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals,     independently of one another selected from the group consisting of     halogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio,     C₁-C₆-haloalkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy and C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy; and wherein     -   R^(3a/or 4a) and R^(3b/or 4b) are each independently hydrogen,         C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, or C₂-C₆-alkynyl;         and R^(3c or 4c) are selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl,         C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio,         C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl         and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10         membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4         heteroatoms selected from O, S and N;     -   with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen;         or the enantiomers and the agriculturally or veterinary         acceptable salt thereof, exhibit a high pesticidal activity and         are active against a broad spectrum of animal pests, in         particular against insects, arachnids and nematodes.

The invention relates to Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I

and/or to the agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof, wherein the variables have the meanings defined above with respect to formula I, with the proviso that formula I is not representing a 3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphtyl)-thio-urea derivative, wherein (R¹)_(m), R³ and R⁴ are hydrogens and R² is hydrogen or R² is CH₃.

The present invention relates also to the use of the compounds of formula I and of the salts thereof for combating animal pests and also to a method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for protecting crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, particularly insects, arachnids or nematodes, which comprises contacting a crop with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I and/or at least one salt thereof.

Furthermore, the invention relates to agricultural compositions, preferably in the form of directly sprayable solutions, emulsions, pastes, oil dispersions, powders, materials for scattering, dusts or in the form of granules, which comprise at least one 1-(1,2-diphenyl-ethyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined above and/or at least one salt thereof, admixed with one or more agronomically acceptable inert, solid or liquid carrier(s) and, if desired, at least one surfactant.

And another object of the present invention is to provide new methods to control parasites in and on animals, providing safer pesticides for animals that may be used in lower doses than existing pesticides and which permit a long residual control of the parasites.

The compounds of the formula I may have one or more centers of chirality, in which case they are present as mixtures of stereoisomers, such as enantiomers or diastereomers. The present invention provides both the pure stereoisomers, e.g. the pure enantiomes or diastereomers, and mixtures thereof. The compounds of the formula I may also exist in the form of different tautomers. The invention comprises the single tautomers, if separable, as well as the tautomer mixtures.

Salts of the compounds of the formula I which are suitable for the use according to the invention are especially agriculturally acceptable salts. They can be formed in a customary method, e.g. by reacting the compound with an acid of the anion in question if the compound of formula I has a basic functionality or by reacting an acidic compound of formula I with a suitable base.

Suitable agriculturally useful salts are especially the salts of those cations or the acid addition salts of those acids whose cations and anions, respectively, do not have any adverse effect on the action of the compounds according to the present invention. Suitable cations are in particular the ions of the alkali metals, preferably lithium, sodium and potassium, of the alkaline earth metals, preferably calcium, magnesium and barium, and of the transition metals, preferably manganese, copper, zinc and iron, and also ammonium (NH₄ ₊ ) and substituted ammonium in which one to four of the hydrogen atoms are replaced by C₁-C₄-alkyl, C₁-C₄-hydroxyalkyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, C₁-C₄-alkoxy-C₁-C₄-alkyl, hydroxy-C₁-C₄-alkoxy-C₁-C₄-alkyl, phenyl and/or benzyl. Examples of substituted ammonium ions comprise methylammonium, isopropylammonium, dimethylammonium, diisopropylammonium, trimethylammonium, tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, 2-hydroxyethylammonium, 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethylammonium, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium, benzyltrimethylammonium and benzyltriethylammonium, furthermore phosphonium ions, sulfonium ions, preferably tri(C₁-C₄-alkyl)sulfonium, and sulfoxonium ions, preferably tri(C₁-C₄-alkyl)sulfoxonium.

Anions of useful acid addition salts are primarily chloride, bromide, fluoride, hydrogen sulfate, sulfate, dihydrogen phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, phosphate, nitrate, hydrogen carbonate, carbonate, hexafluorosilicate, hexafluorophosphate, benzoate, and the anions of C₁-C₄-alkanoic acids, preferably formate, acetate, propionate and butyrate. They can be formed by reacting a compound of formulae I with an acid of the corresponding anion, preferably of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid or nitric acid.

The organic moieties mentioned in the above definitions of the variables are—like the term halogen—collective terms for individual listings of the individual group members. The prefix C_(n)—C_(m) indicates in each case the possible number of carbon atoms in the group.

The term halogen denotes in each case fluorine, bromine, chlorine or iodine, in particular fluorine, chlorine or bromine.

Examples of other meanings are:

The term “C₁-C₆-alkyl” as used herein and in the alkyl moieties of C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl, C₁-C₆-alkylcarbonyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxycarbonyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthiocarbonyl, and C₁-C₆-alkylcarbonyloxy refer to a saturated straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, especially 1 to 4 carbon groups, for example methyl, ethyl, propyl, 1-methylethyl, butyl, 1-methylpropyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, pentyl, 1-methylbutyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl, hexyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-methylpentyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 4-methylpentyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl, 1,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 2-ethylbutyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl, 1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl, heptyl, octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, nonyl and decyl and their isomers. C₁-C₄-alkyl means for example methyl, ethyl, propyl, 1-methylethyl, butyl, 1-methylpropyl, 2-methylpropyl or 1,1-dimethylethyl.

The term “C₁-C₆-haloalkyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above), where some or all of the hydrogen atoms in these groups may be replaced by halogen atoms as mentioned above, for example C₁-C₄-haloalkyl, such as chloromethyl, bromomethyl, dichloromethyl, trichloromethyl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, chlorofluoromethyl, dichlorofluoromethyl, chlorodifluoromethyl, 1-chloroethyl, 1-bromoethyl, 1-fluoroethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 2,2-difluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethyl, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethyl, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl, pentafluoroethyl and the like.

The term, “C₁-C₆-alkoxy” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via an oxygen atom. Examples include C₁-C₆-alkoxy such as methoxy, ethoxy, OCH₂—C₂H₅, OCH(CH₃)₂, n-butoxy, OCH(CH₃)—C₂H₅, OCH₂—CH(CH₃)₂, OC(CH₃)₃, n-pentoxy, 1-methylbutoxy, 2-methylbutoxy, 3-methylbutoxy, 1,1-dimethylpropoxy, 1,2-dimethylpropoxy, 2,2-dimethyl-propoxy, 1-ethylpropoxy, n-hexoxy, 1-methylpentoxy, 2-methylpentoxy, 3-methylpentoxy, 4-methylpentoxy, 1,1-dimethylbutoxy, 1,2-dimethylbutoxy, 1,3-dimethylbutoxy, 2,2-dimethylbutoxy, 2,3-dimethylbutoxy, 3,3-dimethylbutoxy, 1-ethylbutoxy, 2-ethylbutoxy, 1,1,2-trimethylpropoxy, 1,2,2-trimethylpropoxy, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropoxy, 1-ethyl-2-methylpropoxy and the like.

The term “C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy” as used herein refers to a C₁-C₆-alkoxy group as mentioned above wherein the hydrogen atoms are partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e., for example, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy such as chloromethoxy, dichloromethoxy, trichloromethoxy, fluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy, trifluoromethoxy, chlorofluoromethoxy, dichlorofluoromethoxy, chlorodifluoromethoxy, 2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloroethoxy, 2-bromoethoxy, 2-iodoethoxy, 2,2-difluoroethoxy, 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethoxy, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethoxy, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxy, pentafluoroethoxy, 2-fluoropropoxy, 3-fluoropropoxy, 2,2-difluoropropoxy, 2,3-difluoropropoxy, 2-chloropropoxy, 3-chloropropoxy, 2,3-dichloropropoxy, 2-bromopropoxy, 3-bromopropoxy, 3,3,3-trifluoropropoxy, 3,3,3-trichloropropoxy, 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropoxy, heptafluoropropoxy, 1-(fluoromethyl)-2-fluoroethoxy, 1-(chloromethyl)-2-chloroethoxy, 1-(bromomethyl)-2-bromoethoxy, 4-fluorobutoxy, 4-chlorobutoxy, 4-bromobutoxy, nonafluorobutoxy, 5-fluoro-1-pentoxy, 5-chloro-1-pentoxy, 5-bromo-1-pentoxy, 5-iodo-1-pentoxy, 5,5,5-trichloro-1-pentoxy, undecafluoropentoxy, 6-fluoro-1-hexoxy, 6-chloro-1-hexoxy, 6-bromo-1-hexoxy, 6-iodo-1-hexoxy, 6,6,6-trichloro-1-hexoxy or dodecafluoro-hexoxy, in particular chloromethoxy, fluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy, trifluoromethoxy, 2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloroethoxy or 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkoxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl” as used herein refers to C₁-C₆-alkyl wherein 1 carbon atom carries a C₁-C₆-alkoxy radical as mentioned above. Examples are CH₂—OCH₃, CH₂—OC₂H₅, n-propoxymethyl, CH₂—OCH(CH₃)₂, n-butoxymethyl, (1-methylpropoxy)methyl, (2-methylpropoxy)methyl, CH₂—OC(CH₃)₃, 2-(methoxy)ethyl, 2-(ethoxy)ethyl, 2-(n-propoxy)ethyl, 2-(1-methylethoxy)ethyl, 2-(n-butoxy)ethyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)ethyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)ethyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)ethyl, 2-(methoxy)propyl, 2-(ethoxy)propyl, 2-(n-propoxy)propyl, 2-(1-methylethoxy)propyl, 2-(n-butoxy)propyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)propyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)propyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)propyl, 3-(methoxy)propyl, 3-(ethoxy)propyl, 3-(n-propoxy)propyl, 3-(1-methylethoxy)propyl, 3-(n-butoxy)propyl, 3-(1-methylpropoxy)propyl, 3-(2-methylpropoxy)propyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)propyl, 2-(methoxy)butyl, 2-(ethoxy)butyl, 2-(n-propoxy)butyl, 2-(1-methylethoxy)butyl, 2-(n-butoxy)butyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)butyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)butyl, 3-(methoxy)butyl, 3-(ethoxy)butyl, 3-(n-propoxy)butyl, 3-(1-methylethoxy)butyl, 3-(n-butoxy)butyl, 3-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 3-(2-methylpropoxy)butyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)butyl, 4-(methoxy)butyl, 4-(ethoxy)butyl, 4-(n-propoxy)butyl, 4-(1-methylethoxy)butyl, 4-(n-butoxy)butyl, 4-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 4-(2-methylpropoxy)butyl, 4-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)butyl and the like.

The term “(C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) bonded via the carbon atom of the carbonyl group at any bond in the alkyl group. Examples include C₁-C₆-alkylcarbonyl such CO—CH₃, CO—C₂H₅, n-propylcarbonyl, 1-methylethylcarbonyl, n-butylcarbonyl, 1-methylpropylcarbonyl, 2-methylpropylcarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylethylcarbonyl, n-pentylcarbonyl, 1-methylbutylcarbonyl, 2-methylbutylcarbonyl, 3-methylbutylcarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylpropylcarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylpropylcarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylpropylcarbonyl, 1-ethylpropylcarbonyl, n-hexylcarbonyl, 1-methylpentylcarbonyl, 2-methylpentylcarbonyl, 3-methylpentylcarbonyl, 4-methylpentylcarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 1,3-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 2,3-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 3,3-dimethylbutylcarbonyl, 1-ethylbutylcarbonyl, 2-ethylbutylcarbonyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylcarbonyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylcarbonyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylcarbonyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylcarbonyl and the like.

The term “(C₁-C₆-alkoxy)carbonyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched alkoxy group (as mentioned above) having 1 to 6 carbon atoms attached via the carbon atom of the carbonyl group, for example CO—OCH₃, CO—OC₂H₅, COO—CH₂—C₂H₅, CO—OCH(CH₃)₂, n-butoxycarbonyl, CO—OCH(CH₃)—C₂H₅, CO—OCH₂—CH(CH₃)₂, CO—OC(CH₃)₃, n-pentoxycarbonyl, 1-methylbutoxycarbonyl, 2-methylbutoxycarbonyl, 3-methylbutoxycarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylpropoxycarbonyl, 1-ethylpropoxycarbonyl, n-hexoxycarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylpropoxycarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylpropoxycarbonyl, 1-methylpentoxycarbonyl, 2-methylpentoxycarbonyl, 3-methylpentoxycarbonyl, 4-methylpentoxycarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 1,3-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 2,3-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 3,3-dimethylbutoxycarbonyl, 1-ethylbutoxycarbonyl, 2-ethylbutoxycarbonyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropoxycarbonyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropoxycarbonyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropoxycarbonyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropoxycarbonyl.

The term “(C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyloxy” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) bonded via the carbon atom of the carbonyloxy group at any bond in the alkyl group, for example O—CO—CH₃, O—CO—C₂H₅, n-propylcarbonyloxy, 1-methylethylcarbonyloxy, n-butylcarbonyloxy, 1-methylpropylcarbonyloxy, 2-methylpropylcarbonyloxy, 1,1-dimethylethylcarbonyloxy, n-pentylcarbonyloxy, 1-methylbutylcarbonyloxy, 2-methylbutylcarbonyloxy, 3-methylbutylcarbonyloxy, 1,1-dimethylpropylcarbonyloxy or 1,2-dimethylpropylcarbonyloxy.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkylthio (C₁-C₆-alkylsulfanyl: C₁-C₆-alkyl-S—)” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfur atom, for example C₁-C₄-alkylthio such as methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, 1-methylethylthio, butylthio, 1-methylpropylthio, 2-methylpropylthio, 1,1-dimethylethylthio, n-pentylthiocarbonyl, 1-methylbutylthio, 2-methylbutylthio, 3-methylbutylthio, 2,2-dimethylpropylthio, 1-ethylpropylthio, n-hexylthio, 1,1-dimethylpropylthio, 1,2-dimethylpropylthio, 1-methylpentylthio, 2-methylpentylthio, 3-methylpentylthio, 4-methylpentylthio, 1,1-dimethylbutylthio, 1,2-dimethylbutylthio, 1,3-dimethylbutylthio, 2,2-dimethylbutylthio, 2,3-dimethylbutylthio, 3,3-dimethylbutylthio, 1-ethylbutylthio, 2-ethylbutylthio, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylthio, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylthio, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylthio or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylthio.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkylthiocarbonyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched alkylthio group (as mentioned above) having 1 to 6 carbon atoms attached via the carbon atom of the carbonyl group. Examples include CO—SCH₃, CO—SC₂H₅, CO—SCH₂—C₂H₅, CO—SCH(CH₃)₂, n-butylthiocarbonyl, CO—SCH(CH₃)—C₂H₅, CO—SCH₂—CH(CH₃)₂, CO—SC(CH₃)₃, n-pentylthiocarbonyl, 1-methylbutylthiocarbonyl, 2-methylbutylthiocarbonyl, 3-methylbutylthiocarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylpropylthiocarbonyl, 1-ethylpropylthiocarbonyl, n-hexylthiocarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylpropylthiocarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylpropylthiocarbonyl, 1-methylpentylthiocarbonyl, 2-methylpentylthiocarbonyl, 3-methylpentylthiocarbonyl, 4-methylpentylthiocarbonyl, 1,1-dimethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 1,2-dimethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 1,3-dimethylbutylhiocarbonyl, 2,2-dimethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 2,3-dimethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 3,3-dimethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 1-ethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 2-ethylbutylthiocarbonyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylthiocarbonyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylthiocarbonyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylthiocarbonyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylthiocarbonyl.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl” (C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl: C₁-C₆-alkyl-S(═O)—), as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated hydrocarbon group (as mentioned above) having 1 to 6 carbon atoms bonded through the sulfur atom of the sulfinyl group at any bond in the alkyl group, for example SO—CH₃, SO—C₂H₅, n-propylsulfinyl, 1-methylethylsulfinyl, n-butylsulfinyl, 1-methylpropylsulfinyl, 2-methylpropylsulfinyl, 1,1-dimethylethylsulfinyl, n-pentylsulfinyl, 1-methylbutylsulfinyl, 2-methylbutylsulfinyl, 3-methylbutylsulfinyl, 1,1-dimethylpropylsulfinyl, 1,2-dimethylpropylsulfinyl, 2,2-dimethylpropylsulfinyl, 1-ethylpropylsulfinyl, n-hexylsulfinyl, 1-methylpentylsulfinyl, 2-methylpentylsulfinyl, 3-methylpentylsulfinyl, 4-methylpentylsulfinyl, 1,1-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 1,2-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 1,3-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 2,2-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 2,3-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 3,3-dimethylbutylsulfinyl, 1-ethylbutylsulfinyl, 2-ethylbutylsulfinyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylsulfinyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylsulfinyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylsulfinyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylsulfinyl.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkylamino” refers to a secondary amino group carrying one alkyl group as defined above, e.g. methylamino, ethylamino, propylamino, 1-methylethylamino, butylamino, 1-methylpropylamino, 2-methylpropylamino, 1,1-dimethylethylamino, pentylamino, 1-methylbutylamino, 2-methylbutylamino, 3-methylbutylamino, 2,2-dimethylpropylamino, 1-ethylpropylamino, hexylamino, 1,1-dimethylpropylamino, 1,2-dimethylpropylamino, 1-methylpentylamino, 2-methylpentylamino, 3-methylpentylamino, 4-methylpentylamino, 1,1-dimethylbutylamino, 1,2-dimethylbutylamino, 1,3-dimethylbutylamino, 2,2-dimethylbutylamino, 2,3-dimethylbutylamino, 3,3-dimethylbutylamino, 1-ethylbutylamino, 2-ethylbutylamino, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylamino, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylamino, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylamino or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylamino.

The term “di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino” refers to a tertiary amino group carrying two alkyl radicals as defined above, e.g. dimethylamino, diethylamino, di-n-propylamino, diisopropylamino, N-ethyl-N-methylamino, N-(n-propyl)-N-methylamino, N-(isopropyl)-N-methylamino, N-(n-butyl)-N-methylamino, N-(n-pentyl)-N-methylamino, N-(2-butyl)-N-methylamino, N-(isobutyl)-N-methylamino, N-(n-pentyl)-N-methylamino, N-(n-propyl)-N-ethylamino, N-(isopropyl)-N-ethylamino, N-(n-butyl)-N-ethylamino, N-(n-pentyl)-N-ethylamino, N-(2-butyl)-N-ethylamino, N-(isobutyl)-N-ethylamino or N-(n-pentyl)-N-ethylamino.

The term “C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl” (C₁-C₆-alkyl-S(═O)₂ ⁻ ) as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is bonded via the sulfur atom of the sulfonyl group at any bond in the alkyl group, for example SO₂—CH₃, SO₂—C₂H₅, n-propylsulfonyl, SO₂—CH(CH₃)₂, n-butylsulfonyl, 1-methylpropylsulfonyl, 2-methylpropylsulfonyl, SO₂—C(CH₃)₃, n-pentylsulfonyl, 1-methylbutylsulfonyl, 2-methylbutylsulfonyl, 3-methylbutylsulfonyl, 1,1-dimethylpropylsulfonyl, 1,2-dimethylpropylsulfonyl, 2,2-dimethylpropylsulfonyl, 1-ethylpropylsulfonyl, n-hexylsulfonyl, 1-methylpentylsulfonyl, 2-methylpentylsulfonyl, 3-methylpentylsulfonyl, 4-methylpentylsulfonyl, 1,1-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 1,2-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 1,3-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 2,2-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 2,3-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 3,3-dimethylbutylsulfonyl, 1-ethylbutylsulfonyl, 2-ethylbutylsulfonyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropylsulfonyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropylsulfonyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropylsulfonyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropylsulfonyl.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkenyl” as used herein and in the alkenyl moieties of C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkenylthio, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy)carbonyl and (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyloxy refers to a straight-chain or branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and a double bond in any position, such as ethenyl, 1-propenyl, 2-propenyl, 1-methyl-ethenyl, 1-butenyl, 2-butenyl, 3-butenyl, 1-methyl-1-propenyl, 2-methyl-1-propenyl, 1-methyl-2-propenyl, 2-methyl-2-propenyl; 1-pentenyl, 2-pentenyl, 3-pentenyl, 4-pentenyl, 1-methyl-1-butenyl, 2-methyl-1-butenyl, 3-methyl-1-butenyl, 1-methyl-2-butenyl, 2-methyl-2-butenyl, 3-methyl-2-butenyl, 1-methyl-3-butenyl, 2-methyl-3-butenyl, 3-methyl-3-butenyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-propenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-1-propenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-2-propenyl, 1-ethyl-1-propenyl, 1-ethyl-2-propenyl, 1-hexenyl, 2-hexenyl, 3-hexenyl, 4-hexenyl, 5-hexenyl, 1-methyl-1-pentenyl, 2-methyl-1-pentenyl, 3-methyl-1-pentenyl, 4-methyl-1-pentenyl, 1-methyl-2-pentenyl, 2-methyl-2-pentenyl, 3-methyl-2-pentenyl, 4-methyl-2-pentenyl, 1-methyl-3-pentenyl, 2-methyl-3-pentenyl, 3-methyl-3-pentenyl, 4-methyl-3-pentenyl, 1-methyl-4-pentenyl, 2-methyl-4-pentenyl, 3-methyl-4-pentenyl, 4-methyl-4-pentenyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,1-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-1-butenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 1,3-dimethyl-1-butenyl, 1,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,3-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 2,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 2,3-dimethyl-1-butenyl, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 2,3-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 3,3-dimethyl-1-butenyl, 3,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1-ethyl-1-butenyl, 1-ethyl-2-butenyl, 1-ethyl-3-butenyl, 2-ethyl-1-butenyl, 2-ethyl-2-butenyl, 2-ethyl-3-butenyl, 1,1,2-trimethyl-2-propenyl, 1-ethyl-1-methyl-2-propenyl, 1-ethyl-2-methyl-1-propenyl and 1-ethyl-2-methyl-2-propenyl.

The term, “C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via an oxygen atom, such as vinyloxy, allyloxy (propen-3-yloxy), methallyloxy, buten-4-yloxy and the like.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkenylthio” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfur atom, for example vinylsulfanyl, allylsulfanyl (propen-3-ylthio), methallylsufanyl, buten-4-ylsulfanyl and the like.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkenylamino” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfur atom, for example vinylamino, allylamino (propen-3-ylamino), methallylamino, buten-4-ylamino and the like.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfonyl (SO₂) group, for example vinylsulfonyl, allylsulfonyl (propen-3-ylsulfonyl), methallylsulfonyl, buten-4-ylsulfonyl and the like.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkynyl” as used herein and in the alkynyl moieties of C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynylthio, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylcarbonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxycarbonyl and C₁-C₆-alkynylcarbonyloxy refers to a straight-chain or branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms and containing at least one triple bond, such as ethynyl, prop-1-yn-1-yl, prop-2-yn-1-yl, n-but-1-yn-1-yl, n-but-1-yn-3-yl, n-but-1-yn-4-yl, n-but-2-yn-1-yl, n-pent-1-yn-1-yl, n-pent-1-yn-3-yl, n-pent-1-yn-4-yl, n-pent-1-yn-5-yl, n-pent-2-yn-1-yl, n-pent-2-yn-4-yl, n-pent-2-yn-5-yl, 3-methylbut-1-yn-3-yl, 3-methylbut-1-yn-4-yl, n-hex-1-yn-1-yl, n-hex-1-yn-3-yl, n-hex-1-yn-4-yl, n-hex-1-yn-5-yl, n-hex-1-yn-6-yl, n-hex-2-yn-1-yl, n-hex-2-yn-4-yl, n-hex-2-yn-5-yl, n-hex-2-yn-6-yl, n-hex-3-yn-1-yl, n-hex-3-yn-2-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-1-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-3-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-4-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-5-yl, 4-methylpent-1-yn-1-yl, 4-methylpent-2-yn-4-yl or 4-methylpent-2-yn-5-yl and the like.

The term, “C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkynyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via an oxygen atom, such as propargyloxy (propin-3-yloxy), butin-3-yloxy and butin-4-yloxy.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkynylthio” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkynyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfur atom, such as propargylsulfanyl (propin-3-ylthio), butin-3-ylsufanyl and butin-4-ylsulfanyl.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkynylamino” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkynyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfur atom, such as propargylamino (propin-3-ylamino), butin-3-amino, and butin-4-ylamino.

The term “C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl” as used herein refers to a straight-chain or branched saturated alkynyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms (as mentioned above) which is attached via a sulfonyl (SO₂) group, such as propargylsulfonyl (propin-3-yltsulfonyl), butin-3-ylsulfonyl and butin-4-ylsulfonyl.

The term “C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl” as used herein refers to a mono- or bi- or polycyclic hydrocarbon radical having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, in particular 3 to 6 carbon atoms. Examples of monocyclic radicals comprise cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclononyl and cyclodecyl. Examples of bicyclic radicals comprise bicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl, bicyclo[3.1.1]heptyl, bicyclo[2.2.2]octyl and bicyclo[3.2.1]nonyl. Examples of tricyclic radicals are adamantyl and homoadamantyl.

The term “mono- or bicyclic heteroaromatic ring” as used herein refers to a monocyclic heteroaromatic radical which has 5 or 6 ring members, which may comprise a fused 5, 6 or 7 membered ring thus having a total number of ring members from 8 to 10, wherein in each case 1, 2, 3 or 4 of these ring members are heteroatoms selected, independently from each other, from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. The heterocyclic radical may be attached to the remainder of the molecule via a carbon ring member or via a nitrogen ring member. The fused ring comprises C₅-C₇-cycloalkyl, C₅-C₇-cycloalkenyl, or 5 to 7 membered heterocyclyl and phenyl.

Examples for monocyclic 5- to 6-membered heteroaromatic rings include triazinyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidyl, pyridazinyl, pyridyl, thienyl, furyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, thiadiazolyl, oxadiazolyl, isothiazolyl and isoxazolyl.

Examples for 5- to 6-membered heteroaromatic rings carrying a fused phenyl ring are quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, indolyl, indolizinyl, isoindolyl, indazolyl, benzofuryl, benzthienyl, benzo[b]thiazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzthiazolyl, benzoxazolyl, and benzimidazolyl. Examples for 5- to 6-membered heteroaromatic rings carrying a fused cycloalkenyl ring are dihydroindolyl, dihydroindolizinyl, dihydroisoindolyl, dihydrochinolinyl, dihydroisochinolinyl, chromenyl, chromanyl and the like.

The term “5 to 7 membered heterocyclyl” comprises monocyclic heteroaromatic rings as defined above and nonaromatic saturated or partially unsaturated heterocyclic rings having 5, 6 or 7 ring members. Examples for non-aromatic rings include pyrrolidinyl, pyrazolinyl, imidazolinyl, pyrrolinyl, pyrazolinyl, imidazolinyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, dihydrofuranyl, 1,3-dioxolanyl, dioxolenyl, thiolanyl, dihydrothienyl, oxazolidinyl, isoxazolidinyl, oxazolinyl, isoxazolinyl, thiazolinyl, isothiazolinyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolidinyl, oxathiolanyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, pyranyl, dihydropyranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, dioxanyl, thiopyranyl, dihydrothiopyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl, morpholinyl, thiazinyl and the like.

As regards the pesticidal activity of the compounds of formula I, preference is given to those compounds of formula I, in which the variables—independently of one another or in combination with any of the other variables—have the following meanings:

Indanyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I, wherein n is 1. Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I, wherein n is 2.

Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein m is 1, 2 or 3.

Preferably Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein m is 1 or 2.

More preferably Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein m is 1.

Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein R¹ is selected from cyano, azido, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, CONH₂, SO₃H, COOH, C(═O)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₆-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, and wherein R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N.

Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), C(═S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl, phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio;

phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.

More preferably Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2d) is selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio;

phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.

Most preferred are Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of the formula I, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2d) is selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ring-system which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.

Preferred are indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein R³ and R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, C(═O)R^(3c/or 4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C1-C6-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl; and wherein R^(3c/ or 4c) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; and

with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen.

More preferred are Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein R³ and R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, C(═O)R^(3c/ or 4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl; (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl; and wherein R^(3c/ or 4c) are selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl C₁-C₆-alkoxy, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; and

with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen.

Most preferred are Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein R³ and R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, C(═O)R^(3c/ or 4c), (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, and wherein R^(3c/ or 4c) are selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl or C₁-C₆-alkoxy. with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen.

Especially preferred are Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphtyl-amino-thiourea compounds of formula I, wherein R³ and R⁴ are both hydrogen.

The compound of the present invention can be e.g. prepared from the corresponding amines II by the synthetic route outlined in the following scheme:

According to the method outlined in the scheme, an amine II (or its salt) is converted to the corresponding isothiocyanate IV by conventional means, e.g. by reacting II with thiophosgene (see e.g. Houben-Weyl, E4, “Methoden der Organischen Chemie”, chapter IIc, pp. 837-842, Georg Thieme Verlag 1983. The isothiocyanate IV is then reacted with an aminoethanol V, thereby obtaining the thiourea IIIb.

The reaction of the aminoethanol with isothiocyanate IV can be performed in accordance with standard methods of organic chemistry, see e.g. Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. 56 (7), 1062-65 (1992).

Compounds of the formula IIIa and IIIb can be further converted into new compounds of the general formula III by modification of R². In particular if R² is hydrogen these compounds IIIc can e.g. converted by esterification reactions e.g. with carboxylic acids or carboxylic acid chlorides or e.g. by electrophilic substitution by reaction with an electrophile, e.g. with an alkylating agent by methods familiar to an organic chemist and well known in the art, as outlined in the following scheme and described below.

Due to their excellent activity, the compounds of the formula I may be used for controlling animal pests, selected harmful insects, arachnids and nematodes. Accordingly, the invention further provides agriculturally composition for combating such animal pests, which comprises such an amount of at least one compound of the general formula I or at least an agriculturally useful salt of I and at least one inert liquid and/or solid agronomically acceptable carrier that it has a pesticidal action and, if desired, at least one surfactant.

Such a composition may contain a single active compound of the formula I or a mixture of several active compounds I according to the present invention. The composition according to the present invention may comprise an individual isomer or mixtures of isomers as well as individual tautomers or mixtures of tautomers.

Pests

The compounds of the formula I and the pesticidal compositions comprising them are effective agents for controlling animal pests, selected from insects, arachnids and nematodes. Animal pests controlled by the compounds of formula I include for example:

insects from the order of the lepidopterans (Lepidoptera), for example Agrotis ypsilon, Agrotis segetum, Alabama argillacea, Anticarsia gemmatalis, Argyresthia conjugella, Autographa gamma, Bupalus piniarlus, Cacoecia murinana, Capua reticulana, Cheimatobia brumata, Choristoneura fumiferana, Choristoneura occidentalis, Cirphis unipuncta, Cydia pomonella, Dendrolimus pini, Diaphania nitidalis, Diatraea grandiosella, Earias insulana, Elasmopalpus lignosellus, Eupoecilla ambiguella, Evetria boulana, Feltia subterranea, Galleria mellonella, Grapholitha funebrana, Grapholitha molesta, Heliothis armigera, Heliothis virescens, Heliothis zea, Hellula undalis, Hibernia defoliaria, Hyphantria cunea, Hyponomeuta malinellus, Keiferia lycopersicella, Lambdina fiscellaria, Laphygma exigua, Leucoptera coffeella, Leucoptera scitella, Lithocolletis blancardella, Lobesia botrana, Loxostege sticticalis, Lymantria dispar, Lymantria monacha, Lyonetia clerkella, Malacosoma neustria, Mamestra brassicae, Orgyia pseudotsugata, Ostrinia nubilalis, Panolis flammea, Pectinophora gossypiella, Peridroma saucia, Phalera bucephala, Phthorimaea operculella, Phyllocnistis citrella, Pieris brassicae, Plathypena scabra, Plutella xylostella, Pseudoplusia includens, Rhyacionia frustrana, Scrobipalpula absolute, Sitotroga cerealella, Sparganothis pilleriana, Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera litura, Thaumatopoea pityocampa, Tortrix viridana, Trichoplusia ni and Zeiraphera canadensis; beetles (Coleoptera), for example Agrilus sinuatus, Agriotes lineatus, Agriotes obscurus, Amphimallus solstitialis, Anisandrus dispar, Anthonomus grandis, Anthonomus pomorum, Atomaria linearis, Blastophagus piniperda, Blitophaga undata, Bruchus rufimanus, Bruchus pisorum, Bruchus lentis, Byctiscus betulae, Cassida nebulosa, Cerotoma trifurcata, Ceuthorrhynchus assimills, Ceuthorrhynchus napi, Chaetocnema tibialis, Conoderus vespertinus, Crioceris asparagi, Diabrotica longicornis, Diabrotica 12-punctata, Diabrotica virgifera, Epilachna varivestis, Epitrix hirtipennis, Eutinobothrus brasiliensis, Hylobius abietis, Hypera brunneipennis, Hypera postica, Ips typographus, Lema bilineata, Lema melanopus, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Limonius californicus, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus, Melanotus communis, Meligethes aeneus, Melolontha hippocastani, Melolontha melolontha, Oulema oryzae, Ortiorrhynchus sulcatus, Otiorrhynchus ovatus, Phaedon cochleariae, Phyllotreta chrysocephala, Phyllophaga sp., Phyllopertha horticola, Phyllotreta nemorum, Phyllotreta striolata, Popillia japonica, Sitona lineatus and Sitophilus granaria; dipterans (Diptera), for example Aedes aegypti, Aedes vexans, Anastrepha ludens, Anopheles maculipennis, Ceratitis capitata, Chrysomya bezziana, Chrysomya hominivorax, Chrysomya macellari, Contarinia sorghicola, Cordylobia anthropophaga, Culex pipiens, Dacus cucurbitae, Dacus oleae, Dasineura brassicae, Fannia canicularis, Gasterophilus intestinalis, Glossina morsitans, Haematobia irritans, Haplodiplosis equestris, Hylemyia platura, Hypoderma lineata, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza trifolii, Lucilia caprina, Lucilia cuprina, Lucilia sericata, Lycoria pectoralis, Mayetiola destructor, Musca domestica, Muscina stabulans, Oestrus ovis, Oscinella frit, Pegomya hysocyami, Phorbia antiqua, Phorbia brassicae, Phorbia coarctata, Rhagoletis cerasi, Rhagoletis pomonella, Tabanus bovinus, Tipula oleracea and Tipula paludosa; thrips (Thysanoptera), e.g. Dichromothrips corbetti, Frankliniella fusca, Frankliniella occidentalis, Frankliniella tritici, Scirtothrips citri, Thrips oryzae, Thrips palmi and Thrips tabaci; hymenopterans (Hymenoptera), e.g. Athalia rosae, Atta cephalotes, Atta sexdens, Atta texana, Hoplocampa minuta, Hoplocampa testudinea, Monomorium pharaonis, Solenopsis geminata and Solenopsis invicta; heteropterans (Heteroptera), e.g. Acrosternum hilare, Blissus leucopterus, Cyrtopeltis notatus, Dysdercus cingulatus, Dysdercus intermedius, Eurygaster integriceps, Euschistus impictiventris, Leptoglossus phyllopus, Lygus lineolaris, Lygus pratensis, Nezara viridula, Piesma quadrata, Solubea insularis and Thyanta perditor; homopterans (Homoptera), e.g. Acyrthosiphon onobrychis, Adelges laricis, Aphidula nasturtii, Aphis fabae, Aphis forbesi, Aphis pomi, Aphis gossypii Aphis grossulariae, Aphis schneideri, Aphis spiraecola, Aphis sambuci, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aulacorthum solani, Bemisia argentifolii, Brachycaudus cardui, Brachycaudus helichrysi, Brachycaudus persicae, Brachycaudus prunicola, Brevicoryne brassicae, Capitophorus horni, Cerosipha gossypii, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii, Cryptomyzus ribis, Dreyfusia nordmannianae, Dreyfusia piceae, Dysaphis radicola, Dysaulacorthum pseudosolani, Dysaphis plantaginea, Dysaphis pyri, Empoasca fabae, Hyalopterus pruni, Hyperomyzus lactucae, Macrosiphum avenae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Macrosiphon rosae, Megoura viciae, Melanaphis pyrarius, Metopolophium dirhodum, Myzodes persicae, Myzus ascalonicus, Myzus cerasi, Myzus persicae, Myzus varians, Nasonovia ribis-nigri, Nilaparvata lugens, Pemphigus bursarius, Perkinsiella saccharicida, Phorodon humuli, Psylla mali, Psylla piri, Rhopalomyzus ascalonicus, Rhopalosiphum maidis, Rhopalosiphum padi, Rhopalosiphum insertum, Sappaphis mala, Sappaphis mali, Schizaphis graminum, Schizoneura lanuginosa, Sitobion avenae, Sogatella furcifera Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Toxoptera aurantiiand, and Viteus vitifolii; termites (Isoptera), e.g. Calotermes flavicollis, Leucotermes flavipes, Reticulitermes flavipes, Reticulitermes lucifugus and Termes natalensis; orthopterans (Orthoptera), e.g. Acheta domestica, Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, Forficula auricularia, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa, Locusta migratoria, Melanoplus bivittatus, Melanoplus femur-rubrum, Melanoplus mexicanus, Melanoplus sanguinipes, Melanoplus spretus, Nomadacris septemfasciata, Periplaneta americana, Schistocerca americana, Schistocerca peregrina, Stauronotus maroccanus and Tachycines asynamorus; Arachnoidea, such as arachnids (Acarina), e.g. of the families Argasidae, Ixodidae and Sarcoptidae, such as Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma variegatum, Argas persicus, Boophilus annulatus, Boophilus decoloratus, Boophilus microplus, Dermacentor silvarum, Hyalomma truncatum, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes rubicundus, Ornithodorus moubata, Otobius megnini, Dermanyssus gallinae, Psoroptes ovis, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus evertsi, Sarcoptes scabiel, and Eriophyidae spp. such as Aculus schlechtendali, Phyllocoptrata oleivora and Eriophyes sheldoni; Tarsonemidae spp. such as Phytonemus pallidus and Polyphagotarsonemus latus, Tenuipalpidae spp. such as Brevipalpus phoenicis, Tetranychidae spp. such as Tetranychus cinnabarinus, Tetranychus kanzawai, Tetranychus pacificus, Tetranychus telarius and Tetranychus urticae, Panonychus ulmi, Panonychus citri, and oligonychus pratensis; Siphonatera, e.g. Xenopsylla cheopsis, Ceratophyllus spp

The compositions and compounds of formula I are useful for the control of nematodes, especially plant parasitic nematodes such as root knot nematodes, Meloidogyne hapla, Meloidogyne incognita, Meloidogyne javanica, and other Meloidogyne species; cyst-forming nematodes, Globodera rostochiensis and other Globodera species; Heterodera avenae, Heterodera glycines, Heterodera schachtii, Heterodera trifolii, and other Heterodera species; Seed gall nematodes, Anguina species; Stem and foliar nematodes, Aphelenchoides species; Sting nematodes, Belonolaimus longicaudatus and other Belonolaimus species; Pine nematodes, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and other Bursaphelenchus species; Ring nematodes, Criconema species, Criconemella species, Criconemoides species, Mesocriconema species; Stem and bulb nematodes, Ditylenchus destructor, Ditylenchus dipsaci and other Ditylenchus species; Awl nematodes, Dolichodorus species; Spiral nematodes, Heliocotylenchus multicinctus and other Helicotylenchus species; Sheath and sheathoid nematodes, Hemicycliophora species and Hemicriconemoides species; Hirshmanniella species; Lance nematodes, Hoploaimus species; false rootknot nematodes, Nacobbus species; Needle nematodes, Longidorus elongatus and other Longidorus species; Pin nematodes, Paratylenchus species; Lesion nematodes, Pratylenchus neglectus, Pratylenchus penefrans, Pratylenchus curvitatus, Pratylenchus goodeyi and other Pratylenchus species; Burrowing nematodes, Radopholus similis and other Radopholus species; Reniform nematodes, Rotylenchus robustus and other Rotylenchus species; Scutellonema species; Stubby root nematodes, Trichodorus primitivus and other Trichodorus species, Paratrichodorus species; Stunt nematodes, Tylenchorhynchus claytoni, Tylenchorhynchus dubius and other Tylenchorhynchus species; Citrus nematodes, Tylenchulus species; Dagger nematodes, Xiphinema species; and other plant parasitic nematode species.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the compounds of formula I are used for controlling insects or arachnids, in particular insects of the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Homoptera and arachnids of the order Acarina. The compounds of the formula I according to the present invention are particularly useful for controlling insects of the order Lepidoptera and Homoptera.

Formulations

For use in a method according to the present invention, the compounds I can be converted into the customary formulations, e.g. solutions, emulsions, suspensions, dusts, powders, pastes, granules and directly sprayable solutions. The use form depends on the particular purpose and application method. Formulations and application methods are chosen to ensure in each case a fine and uniform distribution of the compound of the formula I according to the present invention.

The formulations are prepared in a known manner (see e.g. for review U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,084, EP-A 707 445 (for liquid concentrates), Browning, “Agglomeration”, Chemical Engineering, Dec. 4, 1967, 147-48, Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook, 4th Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 1963, pages 8-57 and et seq. WO 91/13546, U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,714, U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,050, U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,442, U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,587, U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,701, U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,030, GB 2,095,558, U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,566, Klingman, Weed Control as a Science, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1961, Hance et al., Weed Control Handbook, 8th Ed., Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1989 and Mollet, H., Grubemann, A., Formulation technology, Wiley VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim (Germany), 2001, 2. D. A. Knowles, Chemistry and Technology of Agrochemical Formulations, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1998 (ISBN 0-7514-0443-8), for example by extending the active compound with auxiliaries suitable for the formulation of agrochemicals, such as solvents and/or carriers, if desired emulsifiers, surfactants and dispersants, preservatives, anti-foaming agents, anti-freezing agents, for seed treatment formulation also optionally colorants and/or binders and/or gelling agents.

Solvents/carriers, which are suitable, are e.g.:

-   -   solvents such as water, aromatic solvents (for example Solvesso         products, xylene and the like), paraffins (for example mineral         fractions), alcohols (for example methanol, butanol, pentanol,         benzyl alcohol), ketones (for example cyclohexanone,         gamma-butyrolactone), pyrrolidones (N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP),         N-octylpyrrolidone NOP), acetates (glycol diacetate), alkyl         lactates, lactones such as g-butyrolactone, glycols, fatty acid         dimethylamides, fatty acids and fatty acid esters,         triglycerides, oils of vegetable or animal origin and modified         oils such as alkylated plant oils. In principle, solvent         mixtures may also be used.     -   carriers such as ground natural minerals and ground synthetic         minerals, such as silica gels, finely divided silicic acid,         silicates, talc, kaolin, attaclay, limestone, lime, chalk, bole,         loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate and         magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground synthetic materials,         fertilizers, such as, for example, ammonium sulfate, ammonium         phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ureas and products of vegetable         origin, such as cereal meal, tree bark meal, wood meal and         nutshell meal, cellulose powders and other solid carriers.

Suitable emulsifiers are nonionic and anionic emulsifiers (for example polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers, alkylsulfonates and arylsulfonates).

Examples of dispersants are lignin-sulfite waste liquors and methylcellulose.

Suitable surfactants are alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium salts of lignosulfonic acid, naphthalenesulfonic acid, phenolsulfonic acid, dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, alkylarylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkylsulfonates, fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty acids and sulfated fatty alcohol glycol ethers, furthermore condensates of sulfonated naphthalene and naphthalene derivatives with formaldehyde, condensates of naphthalene or of naphthalenesulfonic acid with phenol and formaldehyde, polyoxyethylene octylphenyl ether, ethoxylated isooctylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol, alkylphenyl polyglycol ethers, tributylphenyl polyglycol ether, tristearylphenyl polyglycol ether, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, alcohol and fatty alcohol/ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, ethoxylated polyoxypropylene, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether acetal, sorbitol esters,

Also anti-freezing agents such as glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and bactericides such as can be added to the formulation.

Suitable antifoaming agents are for example antifoaming agents based on silicon or magnesium stearate.

Suitable preservatives are for example dichlorophen and benzyl alcohol hemiformal

Suitable thickeners are compounds, which confer a pseudoplastic flow behavior to the formulation, i.e. high viscosity at rest and low viscosity in the agitated stage. Mention may be made, in this context, for example, of commercial thickeners based on polysaccharides, such as Xanthan Gum® (Kelzan®) from Kelco), Rhodopol®23 (Rhone Poulenc) or Veegum® (from R.T. Vanderbilt), or organic phyllosilicates, such as Attaclay® (from Engelhardt). Antifoam agents suitable for the dispersions according to the invention are, for example, silicone emulsions (such as, for example, Silikon® SRE, Wacker or Rhodorsil® from Rhodia), long-chain alcohols, fatty acids, organofluorine compounds and mixtures thereof. Biocides can be added to stabilize the compositions according to the invention against attack by microorganisms. Suitable biocides are, for example, based on isothiazolones such as the compounds marketed under the trademarks Proxel® from Avecia (or Arch) or Acticide® RS from Thor Chemie and Kathon® MK from Rohm & Haas. Suitable antifreeze agents are organic polyols, for example ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or glycerol. These are usually employed in amounts of not more than 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the active compound composition. If appropriate, the active compound compositions according to the invention may comprise 1 to 5% by weight of buffer, based on the total amount of the formulation prepared, to regulate the pH, the amount and type of the buffer used depending on the chemical properties of the active compound or the active compounds. Examples of buffers are alkali metal salts of weak inorganic or organic acids, such as, for example, phosphoric acid, boronic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid and succinic acid.

Substances which are suitable for the preparation of directly sprayable solutions, emulsions, pastes or oil dispersions are mineral oil fractions of medium to high boiling point, such as kerosene or diesel oil, furthermore coal tar oils and oils of vegetable or animal origin, aliphatic, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, for example toluene, xylene, paraffin, tetrahydronaphthalene, alkylated naphthalenes or their derivatives, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, isophorone, strongly polar solvents, for example dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methylpyrrolidone and water.

Powders, materials for spreading and dusts can be prepared by mixing or concomitantly grinding the active substances with a solid carrier.

Granules, for example coated granules, impregnated granules and homogeneous granules, can be prepared by binding the active ingredients to solid carriers. Examples of solid carriers are mineral earths such as silica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, attaclay, limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground synthetic materials, fertilizers, such as, for example, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ureas, and products of vegetable origin, such as cereal meal, tree bark meal, wood meal and nutshell meal, cellulose powders and other solid carriers.

In general, the formulations comprise from 0.01 to 95% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 90% by weight, of the active ingredient. The active ingredients are employed in a purity of from 90% to 100%, preferably 95% to 100% (according to NMR spectrum).

For seed treatment purposes, respective formulations can be diluted 2-10 fold leading to concentrations in the ready to use preparations of 0.01 to 60% by weight active compound by weight, preferably 0.1 to 40% by weight.

The compound of formula I can be used as such, in the form of their formulations or the use forms prepared therefrom, for example in the form of directly sprayable solutions, powders, suspensions or dispersions, emulsions, oil dispersions, pastes, dustable products, materials for spreading, or granules, by means of spraying, atomizing, dusting, spreading or pouring. The use forms depend entirely on the intended purposes; they are intended to ensure in each case the finest possible distribution of the active compounds according to the invention.

Aqueous use forms can be prepared from emulsion concentrates, pastes or wettable powders (sprayable powders, oil dispersions) by adding water. To prepare emulsions, pastes or oil dispersions, the substances, as such or dissolved in an oil or solvent, can be homogenized in water by means of a wetter, tackifier, dispersant or emulsifier. Alternatively, it is possible to prepare concentrates composed of active substance, wetter, tackifier, dispersant or emulsifier and, if appropriate, solvent or oil, and such concentrates are suitable for dilution with water.

The active ingredient concentrations in the ready-to-use products can be varied within relatively wide ranges. In general, they are from 0.0001 to 10%, preferably from 0.01 to 1% per weight.

The active ingredients may also be used successfully in the ultra-low-volume process (ULV), it being possible to apply formulations comprising over 95% by weight of active ingredient, or even to apply the active ingredient without additives.

The following are examples of formulations:

1. Products for dilution with water. For seed treatment purposes, such products may be applied to the seed diluted or undiluted.

A) Water-soluble concentrates (SL, LS)

10 parts by weight of the active compound is dissolved in 90 parts by weight of water or a water-soluble solvent. As an alternative, wetters or other auxiliaries are added. The active compound dissolves upon dilution with water, whereby a formulation with 10% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

B) Dispersible concentrates (DC)

20 parts by weight of the active compound is dissolved in 70 parts by weight of cyclohexanone with addition of 10 parts by weight of a dispersant, for example polyvinylpyrrolidone. Dilution with water gives a dispersion, whereby a formulation with 20% (w/w) of active compounds is obtained.

C) Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)

15 parts by weight of the active compounds is dissolved in 7 parts by weight of xylene with addition of calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and castor oil ethoxylate (in each case 5 parts by weight). Dilution with water gives an emulsion, whereby a formulation with 15% (w/w) of active compounds is obtained.

D) Emulsions (EW, EO, ES)

25 parts by weight of the active compound is dissolved in 35 parts by weight of xylene with addition of calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and castor oil ethoxylate (in each case 5 parts by weight). This mixture is introduced into 30 parts by weight of water by means of an emulsifier machine (e.g. Ultraturrax) and made into a homogeneous emulsion. Dilution with water gives an emulsion, whereby a formulation with 25% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

E) Suspensions (SC, OD, FS)

In an agitated ball mill, 20 parts by weight of the active compound is comminuted with addition of 10 parts by weight of dispersants, wetters and 70 parts by weight of water or of an organic solvent to give a fine active compound suspension. Dilution with water gives a stable suspension of the active compound, whereby a formulation with 20% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

F) Water-dispersible granules and water-soluble granules (WG, SG)

50 parts by weight of the active compound is ground finely with addition of 50 parts by weight of dispersants and wetters and made as water-dispersible or water-soluble granules by means of technical appliances (for example extrusion, spray tower, fluidized bed). Dilution with water gives a stable dispersion or solution of the active compound, whereby a formulation with 50% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

G) Water-dispersible powders and water-soluble powders (WP, SP, SS, WS)

75 parts by weight of the active compound are ground in a rotor-stator mill with addition of 25 parts by weight of dispersants, wetters and silica gel. Dilution with water gives a stable dispersion or solution of the active compound, whereby a formulation with 75% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

H) Gel-Formulation (GF)

In an agitated ball mill, 20 parts by weight of the active compound is comminuted with addition of 10 parts by weight of dispersants, 1 part by weight of a gelling agent wetters and 70 parts by weight of water or of an organic solvent to give a fine active compound suspension. Dilution with water gives a stable suspension of the active compound, whereby a formulation with 20% (w/w) of active compound is obtained.

2. Products to be applied undiluted for foliar applications. For seed treatment purposes, such products may be applied to the seed diluted or undiluted.

I) Dustable powders (DP, DS)

5 parts by weight of the active compound are ground finely and mixed intimately with 95 parts by weight of finely divided kaolin. This gives a dustable product having 5% (w/w) of active compound.

J) Granules (GR, FG, GG, MG)

0.5 part by weight of the active compound is ground finely and associated with 95.5 parts by weight of carriers, whereby a formulation with 0.5% (w/w) of active compound is obtained. Current methods are extrusion, spray-drying or the fluidized bed. This gives granules to be applied undiluted for foliar use.

K) ULV solutions (UL)

10 parts by weight of the active compound is dissolved in 90 parts by weight of an organic solvent, for example xylene. This gives a product having 10% (w/w) of active compound, which is applied undiluted for foliar use.

Various types of oils, wetters, adjuvants, herbicides, fungicides, other pesticides, or bactericides may be added to the active ingredients, if appropriate just immediately prior to use (tank mix). These agents usually are admixed with the agents according to the invention in a weight ratio of 1:10 to 10:1.

The compounds and compositions of the present invention compounds I may be applied with other active ingredients, for example with other pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, urea, potash, and superphosphate, phytotoxicants and plant growth regulators, safeners and nematicides. These additional ingredients may be used sequentially or in combination with the above-described compositions, if appropriate also added only immediately prior to use (tank mix). For example, the plant(s) may be sprayed with a composition of this invention either before or after being treated with other active ingredients.

These additional agents can be admixed with the agents used according to the invention in a weight ratio of 1:10 to 10:1. Mixing the compounds I or the compositions comprising them in the use form as pesticides with other pesticides frequently results in a broader pesticidal spectrum of action.

The following list M of pesticides together with which the compounds according to the invention can be used and with which potential synergistic effects might be produced, is intended to illustrate the possible combinations, but not to impose any limitation:

M.1. Organo(thio)phosphates: acephate, azamethiphos, azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, chlorfenvinphos, diazinon, dichlorvos, dicrotophos, dimethoate, disulfoton, ethion, fenitrothion, fenthion, isoxathion, malathion, methamidophos, methidathion, methyl-parathion, mevinphos, monocrotophos, oxydemeton-methyl, paraoxon, parathion, phenthoate, phosalone, phosmet, phosphamidon, phorate, phoxim, pirimiphos-methyl, profenofos, prothiofos, sulprophos, tetrachlorvinphos, terbufos, triazophos, trichlorfon; M.2. Carbamates: alanycarb, aldicarb, bendiocarb, benfuracarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan, fenoxycarb, furathiocarb, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl, pirimicarb, propoxur, thiodicarb, triazamate; M.3. Pyrethroids: allethrin, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cyphenothrin, cypermethrin, alpha-cypermethrin, beta-cypermethrin, zeta-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, empenthrin, esfenvalerate, etofenprox, fenpropathrin, fenvalerate, imiprothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, prallethrin, pyrethrin I and II, resmethrin, silafluofen, taufluvalinate, tefluthrin, tetramethrin, tralomethrin, transfluthrin, profluthrin, dimefluthrin; M.4. Growth regulators: a) chitin synthesis inhibitors: benzoylureas: chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, flucycloxuron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron, novaluron, teflubenzuron, triflumuron; buprofezin, diofenolan, hexythiazox, etoxazole, clofentazine; b) ecdysone antagonists: halofenozide, methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide, azadirachtin; c) juvenoids: pyriproxyfen, methoprene, fenoxycarb; d) lipid biosynthesis inhibitors: spirodiclofen, spiromesifen, spirotetramat; M.5. Nicotinic receptor agonists/antagonists compounds: clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, nitenpyram, acetamiprid, thiacloprid and AKD-1022; M.6. GABA antagonist compounds: acetoprole, endosulfan, ethiprole, fipronil, vaniliprole, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, the phenylpyrazole compound of formula Γ²

M.7. Macrocyclic lactone insecticides: abamectin, emamectin, milbemectin, lepimectin, spinosad M.8. METI I compounds: fenazaquin, pyridaben, tebufenpyrad, tolfenpyrad, flufenerim; M.9. METI II and III compounds: acequinocyl, fluacyprim, hydramethylnon; M.10. Uncoupler compounds: chlorfenapyr; M.11. Oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor compounds: cyhexatin, diafenthiuron, fenbutatin oxide, propargite; M.12. Moulting disruptor compounds: cyromazine; M.13. Mixed Function Oxidase inhibitor compounds: piperonyl butoxide; M.14. Sodium channel blocker compounds: indoxacarb, metaflumizone, M.15. Various: amitraz, benclothiaz, bifenazate, cartap, flonicamid, pyridalyl, pymetrozine, sulfur, thiocyclam, flubendiamide, cyenopyrafen, flupyrazofos, cyflumetofen, amidoflumet, pyrifluquinazon, the aminoquinazolinone compound of formula Γ⁴

N—R′-2,2-dihalo-1-R″cyclo-propanecarboxamide-2-(2,6-dichloro-α,α,α-tri-fluoro-p-tolyl)hydrazone or N—R′-2,2-di(R′″)propionamide-2-(2,6-dichloro-α,α,α-trifluoro-p-tolyl)-hydrazone, wherein R′ is methyl or ethyl, halo is chloro or bromo, R″ is hydrogen or methyl and R′″ is methyl or ethyl, anthranilamide compounds as chlorantraniliprole or the compound of formula Γ⁵

and malononitrile compounds as described in JP 2002 284608, WO 02/89579, WO 02/90320, WO 02/90321, WO 04/06677, WO 04/20399, JP 2004 99597, WO 05/68423, WO 05/68432, or WO 05/63694, especially the malononitrile compounds CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₅CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂(CH₂)₂C(CF₃)₂F, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂(CH₂)₂(CF₂)₃CF₃, CF₂H(CF₂)₃CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₃, CF₃(CF₂)₂CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, and CF₃CF₂CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H.

The commercially available compounds of the group M may be found in The Pesticide Manual, 13^(th) Edition, British Crop Protection Council (2003) among other publications. Thioamides of formula Γ² and their preparation have been described in WO 98/28279. Lepimectin is known from Agro Project, PJB Publications Ltd, November 2004. Benclothiaz and its preparation have been described in EP-A1 454621. Methidathion and Paraoxon and their preparation have been described in Farm Chemicals Handbook, Volume 88, Meister Publishing Company, 2001. Acetoprole and its preparation have been described in WO 98/28277. Metaflumizone and its preparation have been described in EP-A1 462 456. Flupyrazofos has been described in Pesticide Science 54, 1988, p. 237-243 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,779. Pyrafluprole and its preparation have been described in JP 2002193709 and in WO 01/00614. Pyriprole and its preparation have been described in WO 98/45274 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,357. Amidoflumet and its preparation have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,890 and in JP 21010907. Flufenerim and its preparation have been described in WO 03/007717 and in WO 03/007718. Cyflumetofen and its preparation have been described in WO 04/080180. The aminoquinazolinone compound of formula Γ⁴ has been described in EP A 109 7932. Anthranilamides of formula Γ⁵ and their preparation have been described in WO 01/70671; WO 02/48137; WO 03/24222, WO 03/15518, WO 04/67528; WO 04/33468; and WO 05/118552. The malononitrile compounds CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₅CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂(CH₂)₂C(CF₃)₂F, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂(CH₂)₂(CF₂)₃CF₃, CF₂H(CF₂)₃CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, CF₃(CH₂)₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₃, CF₃(CF₂)₂CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H, and CF₃CF₂CH₂C(CN)₂CH₂(CF₂)₃CF₂H have been described in WO 05/63694.

Fungicidal mixing partners are those selected from the group F consisting of

F.1 acylalanines such as benalaxyl, metalaxyl, ofurace, oxadixyl;

F.2 amine derivatives such as aldimorph, dodine, dodemorph, fenpropimorph, fenpropidin, guazatine, iminoctadine, spiroxamin, tridemorph;

F.3 anilinopyrimidines such as pyrimethanil, mepanipyrim or cyrodinyl;

F.4 antibiotics such as cycloheximid, griseofulvin, kasugamycin, natamycin, polyoxin or streptomycin;

F.5 azoles such as bitertanol, bromoconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, dinitroconazole, epoxiconazole, fenbuconazole, fluquiconazole, flusilazole, hexaconazole, imazalil, metconazole, myclobutanil, penconazole, propiconazole, prochloraz, prothioconazole, tebuconazole, triadimefon, triadimenol, triflumizol, triticonazole, flutriafol; F.6 dicarboximides such as iprodion, myclozolin, procymidon, vinclozolin; F.7 dithiocarbamates such as ferbam, nabam, maneb, mancozeb, metam, metiram, propineb, polycarbamate, thiram, ziram, zineb; F.8 heterocyclic compounds such as anilazine, benomyl, boscalid, carbendazim, carboxin, oxycarboxin, cyazofamid, dazomet, dithianon, famoxadon, fenamidon, fenarimol, fuberidazole, flutolanil, furametpyr, isoprothiolane, mepronil, nuarimol, probenazole, proquinazid, pyrifenox, pyroquilon, quinoxyfen, silthiofam, thiabendazole, thifluzamid, thiophanate-methyl, tiadinil, tricyclazole, triforine; F.9 copper fungicides such as Bordeaux mixture, copper acetate, copper oxychloride, basic copper sulfate; F.10 nitrophenyl derivatives such as binapacryl, dinocap, dinobuton, nitrophthalisopropyl; F.11 phenylpyrroles such as fenpiclonil or fludioxonil; F.12 strobilurins such as azoxystrobin, dimoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim-methyl, metominostrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin or trifloxystrobin; F.13 sulfenic acid derivatives such as captafol, captan, dichlofluanid, folpet, tolylfluanid; F.14 cinnemamides and analogs such as dimethomorph, flumetover or flumorph; F.15 sulfur, and other fungicides such as acibenzolar-S-methyl, benthiavalicarb, carpropamid, chlorothalonil, cyflufenamid, cymoxanil, dazomet, diclomezin, diclocymet, diethofencarb, edifenphos, ethaboxam, fenhexamid, fentin-acetate, fenoxanil, ferimzone, fluazinam, fosetyl, fosetyl-aluminum, iprovalicarb, hexachlorobenzene, metrafenon, pencycuron, propamocarb, phthalide, toloclofos-methyl, quintozene, zoxamid. Applications

The animal pest, i.e. the insects, arachnids and nematodes, the plant, soil or water in which the plant is growing can be contacted with the present compound(s) I or composition(s) containing them by any application method known in the art. As such, “contacting” includes both direct contact (applying the compounds/compositions directly on the animal pest or plant—typically to the foliage, stem or roots of the plant) and indirect contact (applying the compounds/compositions to the locus of the animal pest or plant).

The compounds of formula I or the pesticidal compositions comprising them may be used to protect growing plants and crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, especially insects, acaridae or arachnids by contacting the plant/crop with a pesticidally effective amount of compounds of formula I. The term “crop” refers both to growing and harvested crops.

Moreover, animal pests may be controlled by contacting the target pest, its food supply, habitat, breeding ground or its locus with a pesticidally effective amount of compounds of formula I. As such, the application may be carried out before or after the infection of the locus, growing crops, or harvested crops by the pest.

The compounds of the invention can also be applied preventively to places at which occurrence of the pests is expected.

The compounds of formula I may be also used to protect growing plants from attack or infestation by pests by contacting the plant with a pesticidally effective amount of compounds of formula I. As such, “contacting” includes both direct contact (applying the compounds/compositions directly on the pest and/or plant—typically to the foliage, stem or roots of the plant) and indirect contact (applying the compounds/compositions to the locus of the pest and/or plant).

“Locus” means a habitat, breeding ground, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which a pest or parasite is growing or may grow.

In general, “pesticidally effective amount” means the amount of active ingredient needed to achieve an observable effect on growth, including the effects of necrosis, death, retardation, prevention, and removal, destruction, or otherwise diminishing the occurrence and activity of the target organism. The pesticidally effective amount can vary for the various compounds/compositions used in the invention. A pesticidally effective amount of the compositions will also vary according to the prevailing conditions such as desired pesticidal effect and duration, weather, target species, locus, mode of application, and the like.

The compounds of formula I are effective through both contact (via soil, glass, wall, bed net, carpet, plant parts or animal parts), and ingestion (bait, or plant part).

For use against ants, termites, wasps, flies, mosquitos, crickets, or cockroaches, compounds of formula I are preferably used in a bait composition.

The bait can be a liquid, a solid or a semisolid preparation (e.g. a gel). Solid baits can be formed into various shapes and forms suitable to the respective application e.g. granules, blocks, sticks, disks. Liquid baits can be filled into various devices to ensure proper application, e.g. open containers, spray devices, droplet sources, or evaporation sources. Gels can be based on aqueous or oily matrices and can be formulated to particular necessities in terms of stickyness, moisture retention or aging characteristics.

The bait employed in the composition is a product, which is sufficiently attractive to incite insects such as ants, termites, wasps, flies, mosquitos, crickets etc. or cockroaches to eat it. The attractiveness can be manipulated by using feeding stimulants or sex pheromones. Food stimulants are chosen, for example, but not exclusively, from animal and/or plant proteins (meat-, fish- or blood meal, insect parts, egg yolk), from fats and oils of animal and/or plant origin, or mono-, oligo- or polyorganosaccharides, especially from sucrose, lactose, fructose, dextrose, glucose, starch, pectin or even molasses or honey. Fresh or decaying parts of fruits, crops, plants, animals, insects or specific parts thereof can also serve as a feeding stimulant. Sex pheromones are known to be more insect specific. Specific pheromones are described in the literature and are known to those skilled in the art.

Formulations of compounds of formula I as aerosols (e.g in spray cans), oil sprays or pump sprays are highly suitable for the non-professional user for controlling pests such as flies, fleas, ticks, mosquitos or cockroaches. Aerosol recipes are preferably composed of the active compound, solvents such as lower alcohols (e.g. methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol), ketones (e.g. acetone, methyl ethyl ketone), paraffin hydrocarbons (e.g. kerosenes) having boiling ranges of approximately 50 to 250° C., dimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene, xylene, water, furthermore auxiliaries such as emulsifiers such as sorbitol monooleate, oleyl ethoxylate having 3-7 mol of ethylene oxide, fatty alcohol ethoxylate, perfume oils such as ethereal oils, esters of medium fatty acids with lower alcohols, aromatic carbonyl compounds, if appropriate stabilizers such as sodium benzoate, amphoteric surfactants, lower epoxides, triethyl orthoformate and, if required, propellants such as propane, butane, nitrogen, compressed air, dimethyl ether, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, or mixtures of these gases.

The oil spray formulations differ from the aerosol recipes in that no propellants are used.

The compounds of formula I and its respective compositions can also be used in mosquito and fumigating coils, smoke cartridges, vaporizer plates or long-term vaporizers and also in moth papers, moth pads or other heat-independent vaporizer systems.

Methods to control infectious diseases transmitted by insects (e.g. malaria, dengue and yellow fever, lymphatic filariasis, and leishmaniasis) with compounds of formula I and its respective compositions also comprise treating surfaces of huts and houses, air spraying and impregnation of curtains, tents, clothing items, bed nets, tsetse-fly trap or the like. Insecticidal compositions for application to fibers, fabric, knitgoods, nonwovens, netting material or foils and tarpaulins preferably comprise a mixture including the insecticide, optionally a repellent and at least one binder. Suitable repellents for example are N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), N,N-diethylphenylacetamide (DEPA), 1-(3-cyclohexan-1-yl-carbonyl)-2-methylpiperine, (2-hydroxymethylcyclohexyl)acetic acid lactone, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexandiol, indalone, Methylneodecanamide (MNDA), a pyrethroid not used for insect control such as {(+/−)-3-allyl-2-methyl-4-oxocyclopent-2-(+)-enyl-(+)-trans-chrysantemate (Esbiothrin), a repellent derived from or identical with plant extracts like limonene, eugenol, (+)-Eucamalol (1), (−)-1-epi-eucamalol or crude plant extracts from plants like Eucalyptus maculata, Vitex rotundifolia, Cymbopogan martinii, Cymbopogan citratus (lemon grass), Cymopogan nartdus (citronella). Suitable binders are selected for example from polymers and copolymers of vinyl esters of aliphatic acids (such as such as vinyl acetate and vinyl versatate), acrylic and methacrylic esters of alcohols, such as butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexylacrylate, and methyl acrylate, mono- and di-ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as styrene, and aliphatic diens, such as butadiene.

The impregnation of curtains and bednets is done in general by dipping the textile material into emulsions or dispersions of the insecticide or spraying them onto the nets.

The compounds of formula I and its compositions can be used for protecting wooden materials such as trees, board fences, sleepers, etc. and buildings such as houses, outhouses, factories, but also construction materials, furniture, leathers, fibers, vinyl articles, electric wires and cables etc. from ants and/or termites, and for controlling ants and termites from doing harm to crops or human being (e.g. when the pests invade into houses and public facilities). The compounds of formula I are applied not only to the surrounding soil surface or into the under-floor soil in order to protect wooden materials but it can also be applied to lumbered articles such as surfaces of the under-floor concrete, alcove posts, beams, plywoods, furniture, etc., wooden articles such as particle boards, half boards, etc. and vinyl articles such as coated electric wires, vinyl sheets, heat insulating material such as styrene foams, etc. In case of application against ants doing harm to crops or human beings, the ant controller of the present invention is applied to the crops or the surrounding soil, or is directly applied to the nest of ants or the like.

In the case of soil treatment or of application to the pests dwelling place or nest, the quantity of active ingredient ranges from 0.0001 to 500 g per 100 m², preferably from 0.001 to 20 g per 100 m².

Customary application rates in the protection of materials are, for example, from 0.01 g to 1000 g of active compound per m² treated material, desirably from 0.1 g to 50 g per m².

Insecticidal compositions for use in the impregnation of materials typically contain from 0.001 to 95 weight %, preferably from 0.1 to 45 weight %, and more preferably from 1 to 25 weight % of at least one repellent and/or insecticide.

For use in bait compositions, the typical content of active ingredient is from 0.001 weight % to 15 weight %, desirably from 0.001 weight % to 5% weight % of active compound.

For use in spray compositions, the content of active ingredient is from 0.001 to 80 weights %, preferably from 0.01 to 50 weight % and most preferably from 0.01 to 15 weight %.

For use in treating crop plants, the rate of application of the active ingredients of this invention may be in the range of 0.1 g to 4000 g per hectare, desirably from 25 g to 600 g per hectare, more desirably from 50 g to 500 g per hectare.

Seed Treatment

The compounds of formula I are also suitable for the treatment of seeds in order to protect the seed from insect pest, in particular from soil-living insect pests and the resulting plant's roots and shoots against soil pests and foliar insects.

The compounds of formula I are particularly useful for the protection of the seed from soil pests and the resulting plant's roots and shoots against soil pests and foliar insects. The protection of the resulting plant's roots and shoots is preferred. More preferred is the protection of resulting plant's shoots from piercing and sucking insects, wherein the protection from aphids is most preferred.

The present invention therefore comprises a method for the protection of seeds from insects, in particular from soil insects and of the seedlings' roots and shoots from insects, in particular from soil and foliar insects, said method comprising contacting the seeds before sowing and/or after pregermination with a compound of the general formula I or a salt thereof. Particularly preferred is a method, wherein the plant's roots and shoots are protected, more preferably a method, wherein the plants shoots are protected form piercing and sucking insects, most preferably aa method, wherein the plants shoots are protected from aphids.

The term seed embraces seeds and plant propagules of all kinds including but not limited to true seeds, seed pieces, suckers, corms, bulbs, fruit, tubers, grains, cuttings, cut shoots and the like and means in a preferred embodiment true seeds.

The term seed treatment comprises all suitable seed treatment techniques known in the art, such as seed dressing, seed coating, seed dusting, seed soaking and seed pelleting.

The present invention also comprises seeds coated with or containing the active compound.

The term “coated with and/or containing” generally signifies that the active ingredient is for the most part on the surface of the propagation product at the time of application, although a greater or lesser part of the ingredient may penetrate into the propagation product, depending on the method of application. When the said propagation product is (re)planted, it may absorb the active ingredient.

Suitable seed is seed of cereals, root crops, oil crops, vegetables, spices, ornamentals, for example seed of durum and other wheat, barley, oats, rye, maize (fodder maize and sugar maize/sweet and field corn), soybeans, oil crops, crucifers, cotton, sunflowers, bananas, rice, oilseed rape, turnip rape, sugarbeet, fodder beet, eggplants, potatoes, grass, lawn, turf, fodder grass, tomatoes, leeks, pumpkin/squash, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, pepper, cucumbers, melons, Brassica species, melons, beans, peas, garlic, onions, carrots, tuberous plants such as potatoes, sugar cane, tobacco, grapes, petunias, geranium/pelargoniums, pansies and impatiens.

In addition, the active compound may also be used for the treatment seeds from plants, which tolerate the action of herbicides or fungicides or insecticides owing to breeding, including genetic engineering methods.

For example, the active compound can be employed in treatment of seeds from plants, which are resistant to herbicides from the group consisting of the sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, glufosinate-ammonium or glyphosate-isopropylammonium and analogous active substances (see for example, EP-A-0242236, EP-A-242246) (WO 92/00377) (EP-A-0257993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,659) or in transgenic crop plants, for example cotton, with the capability of producing Bacillus thuringiensis toxins (Bt toxins) which make the plants resistant to certain pests (EP-A-0142924, EP-A-0193259),

Furthermore, the active compound can be used also for the treatment of seeds from plants, which have modified characteristics in comparison with existing plants consist, which can be generated for example by traditional breeding methods and/or the generation of mutants, or by recombinant procedures). For example, a number of cases have been described of recombinant modifications of crop plants for the purpose of modifying the starch synthesized in the plants (e.g. WO 92/11376, WO 92/14827, WO 91/19806) or of transgenic crop plants having a modified fatty acid composition (WO 91/13972).

The seed treatment application of the active compound is carried out by spraying or by dusting the seeds before sowing of the plants and before emergence of the plants.

Compositions which are especially useful for seed treatment are e.g.:

A Soluble concentrates (SL, LS)

D Emulsions (EW, EO, ES)

E Suspensions (SC, OD, FS)

F Water-dispersible granules and water-soluble granules (WG, SG)

G Water-dispersible powders and water-soluble powders (WP, SP, WS)

H Gel-Formulations (GF)

I Dustable powders (DP, DS)

Conventional seed treatment formulations include for example flowable concentrates FS, solutions LS, powders for dry treatment DS, water dispersible powders for slurry treatment WS, water-soluble powders SS and emulsion ES and EC and gel formulation GF. These formulations can be applied to the seed diluted or undiluted. Application to the seeds is carried out before sowing, either directly on the seeds or after having pregerminated the latter

In a preferred embodiment a FS formulation is used for seed treatment. Typically, a FS formulation may comprise 1-800 g/l of active ingredient, 1-200 g/l Surfactant, 0 to 200 g/l antifreezing agent, 0 to 400 g/l of binder, 0 to 200 g/l of a pigment and up to 1 liter of a solvent, preferably water.

Especially preferred FS formulations of compounds of formula I for seed treatment usually comprise from 0.1 to 80% by weight (1 to 800 g/l) of the active ingredient, from 0.1 to 20% by weight (1 to 200 g/l) of at least one surfactant, e.g. 0.05 to 5% by weight of a wetter and from 0.5 to 15% by weight of a dispersing agent, up to 20% by weight, e.g. from 5 to 20% of an anti-freeze agent, from 0 to 15% by weight, e.g. 1 to 15% by weight of a pigment and/or a dye, from 0 to 40% by weight, e.g. 1 to 40% by weight of a binder (sticker/adhesion agent), optionally up to 5% by weight, e.g. from 0.1 to 5% by weight of a thickener, optionally from 0.1 to 2% of an anti-foam agent, and optionally a preservative such as a biocide, antioxidant or the like, e.g. in an amount from 0.01 to 1% by weight and a filler/vehicle up to 100% by weight.

Seed Treatment formulations may additionally also comprise binders and optionally colorants.

Binders can be added to improve the adhesion of the active materials on the seeds after treatment. Suitable binders are block copolymers EO/PO surfactants but also polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylpyrrolidones, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polybutenes, polyisobutylenes, polystyrene, polyethyleneamines, polyethyleneamides, polyethyleneimines (Lupasol®, Polymin®), polyethers, polyurethans, polyvinylacetate, tylose and copolymers derived from these polymers.

Optionally, also colorants can be included in the formulation. Suitable colorants or dyes for seed treatment formulations are Rhodamin B, C.I. Pigment Red 112, C.I. Solvent Red 1, pigment blue 15:4, pigment blue 15:3, pigment blue 15:2, pigment blue 15:1, pigment blue 80, pigment yellow 1, pigment yellow 13, pigment red 112, pigment red 48:2, pigment red 48:1, pigment red 57:1, pigment red 53:1, pigment orange 43, pigment orange 34, pigment orange 5, pigment green 36, pigment green 7, pigment white 6, pigment brown 25, basic violet 10, basic violet 49, acid red 51, acid red 52, acid red 14, acid blue 9, acid yellow 23, basic red 10, basic red 108.

Examples of a gelling agent is carrageen (Satiagel®)

In the treatment of seed, the application rates of the compounds I are generally from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seed, preferably from 1 g to 5 kg per 100 kg of seed, more preferably from 1 g to 1000 g per 100 kg of seed and in particular from 1 g to 200 g per 100 kg of seed.

The invention therefore also relates to seed comprising a compound of the formula I, or an agriculturally useful salt of 1, as defined herein. The amount of the compound I or the agriculturally useful salt thereof will in general vary from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seed, preferably from 1 g to 5 kg per 100 kg of seed, in particular from 1 g to 1000 g per 100 kg of seed. For specific crops such as lettuce the rate can be higher.

Animal Health

The compounds of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof are in particular also suitable for being used for combating parasites in and on animals.

An object of the present invention is therefore also to provide new methods to control parasites in and on animals. Another object of the invention is to provide safer pesticides for animals. Another object of the invention is further to provide pesticides for animals that may be used in lower doses than existing pesticides. And another object of the invention is to provide pesticides for animals, which provide a long residual control of the parasites.

The invention also relates to compositions containing a parasiticidally effective amount of compounds of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof and an acceptable carrier, for combating parasites in and on animals.

The present invention also provides a method for treating, controlling, preventing and protecting animals against infestation and infection by parasites, which comprises orally, topically or parenterally administering or applying to the animals a parasiticidally effective amount of a compound of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof or a composition comprising it.

The invention also provides a process for the preparation of a composition for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection by parasites which comprises a parasiticidally effective amount of a compound of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof or a composition comprising it.

Activity of compounds against agricultural pests does not suggest their suitability for control of endo- and ectoparasites in and on animals which requires, for example, low, non-emetic dosages in the case of oral application, metabolic compatibility with the animal, low toxicity, and a safe handling.

Surprisingly it has now been found that compounds of formula I are suitable for combating endo- and ectoparasites in and on animals.

Compounds of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof and compositions comprising them are preferably used for controlling and preventing infestations and infections animals including warm-blooded animals (including humans) and fish. They are for example suitable for controlling and preventing infestations and infections in mammals such as cattle, sheep, swine, camels, deer, horses, pigs, poultry, rabbits, goats, dogs and cats, water buffalo, donkeys, fallow deer and reindeer, and also in fur-bearing animals such as mink, chinchilla and raccoon, birds such as hens, geese, turkeys and ducks and fish such as fresh- and salt-water fish such as trout, carp and eels.

Compounds of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof and compositions comprising them are preferably used for controlling and preventing infestations and infections in domestic animals, such as dogs or cats.

Infestations in warm-blooded animals and fish include, but are not limited to, lice, biting lice, ticks, nasal bots, keds, biting flies, muscoid flies, flies, myiasitic fly larvae, chiggers, gnats, mosquitoes and fleas.

The compounds of formula I or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof and compositions comprising them are suitable for systemic and/or non-systemic control of ecto- and/or endoparasites. They are active against all or some stages of development.

The compounds of formula I are especially useful for combating ectoparasites.

The compounds of formula I are especially useful for combating parasites of the following orders and species, respectively:

fleas (Siphonaptera), e.g. Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis, Xenopsylla cheopis, Pulex irritans, Tunga penefrans, and Nosopsyllus fasciatus,

cockroaches (Blattaria-Blattodea), e.g. Blattella germanica, Blattella asahinae, Periplaneta americana, Periplaneta japonica, Periplaneta brunnea, Periplaneta fuligginosa, Periplaneta australasiae, and Blatta orientalis,

flies, mosquitoes (Diptera), e.g. Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Aedes vexans, Anastrepha ludens, Anopheles maculipennis, Anopheles crucians, Anopheles albimanus, Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles freeborni, Anopheles leucosphyrus, Anopheles minimus, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Calliphora vicina, Chrysomya bezziana, Chrysomya hominivorax, Chrysomya macellaria, Chrysops discalis, Chrysops silacea, Chrysops atlanticus, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Cordylobia anthropophaga, Culicoides furens, Culex pipiens, Culex nigripalpus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex tarsalis, Culiseta inornata, Culiseta melanura, Dermatobia hominis, Fannia canicularis, Gasterophilus intestinalis, Glossina morsitans, Glossina palpalis, Glossina fuscipes, Glossina tachinoides, Haematobia irritans, Haplodiplosis equestris, Hippelates spp., Hypoderma lineata, Leptoconops torrens, Lucilia caprina, Lucilia cuprina, Lucilia sericata, Lycoria pectoralis, Mansonia spp., Musca domestica, Muscina stabulans, Oestrus ovis, Phlebotomus argentipes, Psorophora columbiae, Psorophora discolor, Prosimulium mixtum, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, Sarcophaga sp., Simulium vittatum, Stomoxys calcitrans, Tabanus bovinus, Tabanus atratus, Tabanus lineola, and Tabanus similis, lice (Phthiraptera), e.g. Pediculus humanus capitis, Pediculus humanus corporis, Pthirus pubis, Haematopinus eurysternus, Haematopinus suis, Linognathus vituli, Bovicola bovis, Menopon gallinae, Menacanthus stramineus and Solenopotes capillatus. ticks and parasitic mites (Parasitiformes): ticks (Ixodida), e.g. Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes holocyclus, Ixodes pacificus, Rhiphicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor andersoni, Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, Ambryomma maculatum, Ornithodorus hermsi, Ornithodorus turicata and parasitic mites (Mesostigmata), e.g. Ornithonyssus bacoti and Dermanyssus gallinae, Actinedida (Prostigmata) and Acaridida (Astigmata) e.g. Acarapis spp., Cheyletiella spp., Ornithocheyletia spp., Myobia spp., Psorergates spp., Demodex spp., Trombicula spp., Listrophorus spp., Acarus spp., Tyrophagus spp., Caloglyphus spp., Hypodectes spp., Pterolichus spp., Psoroptes spp., Chorioptes spp., Otodectes spp., Sarcoptes spp., Notoedres spp., Knemidocoptes spp., Cytodites spp., and Laminosioptes spp, Bugs (Heteropterida): Cimex lectularius, Cimex hemipterus, Reduvius senilis, Triatoma spp., Rhodnius ssp., Panstrongylus ssp. and Arilus critatus, Anoplurida, e.g. Haematopinus spp., Linognathus spp., Pediculus spp., Phtirus spp., and Solenopotes spp, Mallophagida (suborders Arnblycerina and Ischnocerina), e.g. Trimenopon spp., Menopon spp., Trinoton spp., Bovicola spp., Werneckiella spp., Lepikentron spp., Trichodectes spp., and Felicola spp, Roundworms Nematoda: Wipeworms and Trichinosis (Trichosyringida), e.g. Trichinellidae (Trichinella spp.), (Trichuridae) Trichuris spp., Capillaria spp, Rhabditida, e.g. Rhabditis spp, Strongyloides spp., Helicephalobus spp, Strongylida, e.g. Strongylus spp., Ancylostoma spp., Necator americanus, Bunostomum spp. (Hookworm), Trichostrongylus spp., Haemonchus contortus., Ostertagia spp., Cooperia spp., Nematodirus spp., Dictyocaulus spp., Cyathostoma spp., Oesophagostomum spp., Stephanurus dentatus, Ollulanus spp., Chabertia spp., Stephanurus dentatus, Syngamus trachea, Ancylostoma spp., Uncinaria spp., Globocephalus spp., Necator spp., Metastrongylus spp., Muellerius capillaris, Protostrongylus spp., Angiostrongylus spp., Parelaphostrongylus spp. Aleurostrongylus abstrusus, and Dioctophyma renale, Intestinal roundworms (Ascaridida), e.g. Ascaris lumbricoides, Ascaris suum, Ascaridia galli, Parascaris equorum, Enterobius vermicularis (Threadworm), Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonine, Skrjabinema spp., and Oxyuris equi, Camallanida, e.g. Dracunculus medinensis (guinea worm) Spirurida, e.g. Thelazia spp. Wuchereria spp., Brugia spp., Onchocerca spp., Dirofilari spp.a, Dipetalonema spp., Setaria spp., Elaeophora spp., Spirocerca lupi, and Habronema spp., Thorny headed worms (Acanthocephala), e.g. Acanthocephalus spp., Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus and Oncicola spp, Planarians (Plathelminthes): Flukes (Trematoda), e.g. Faciola spp., Fascioloides magna, Paragonimus spp., Dicrocoelium spp., Fasciolopsis buski, Clonorchis sinensis, Schistosoma spp., Trichobllharzia spp., Alaria alata, Paragonimus spp., and Nanocyetes spp, Cercomeromorpha, in particular Cestoda (Tapeworms), e.g. Diphyllobothrium spp., Tenia spp., Echinococcus spp., Dipylidium caninum, Multiceps spp., Hymenolepis spp., Mesocestoides spp., Vampirolepis spp., Moniezia spp., Anopiocephala spp., Sirometra spp., Anopiocephala spp., and Hymenolepis spp.

The compounds of formula I and compositions containing them are particularly useful for the control of pests from the orders Diptera, Siphonaptera and Ixodida.

Moreover, the use of the compounds of formula I and compositions containing them for combating mosquitoes is especially preferred.

The use of the compounds of formula I and compositions containing them for combating flies is a further preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Furthermore, the use of the compounds of formula I and compositions containing them for combating fleas is especially preferred.

The use of the compounds of formula I and compositions containing them for combating ticks is a further preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The compounds of formula I also are especially useful for combating endoparasites (roundworms nematoda, thorny headed worms and planarians).

Administration can be carried out both prophylactically and therapeutically.

Administration of the active compounds is carried out directly or in the form of suitable preparations, orally, topically/dermally or parenterally.

For oral administration to warm-blooded animals, the formula I compounds may be formulated as animal feeds, animal feed premixes, animal feed concentrates, pills, solutions, pastes, suspensions, drenches, gels, tablets, boluses and capsules. In addition, the formula I compounds may be administered to the animals in their drinking water. For oral administration, the dosage form chosen should provide the animal with 0.01 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg of animal body weight per day of the formula I compound, preferably with 0.5 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg of animal body weight per day.

Alternatively, the formula I compounds may be administered to animals parenterally, for example, by intraruminal, intramuscular, intravenous or subcutaneous injection. The formula I compounds may be dispersed or dissolved in a physiologically acceptable carrier for subcutaneous injection. Alternatively, the formula I compounds may be formulated into an implant for subcutaneous administration. In addition the formula I compound may be transdermally administered to animals. For parenteral administration, the dosage form chosen should provide the animal with 0.01 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg of animal body weight per day of the formula I compound.

The formula I compounds may also be applied topically to the animals in the form of dips, dusts, powders, collars, medallions, sprays, shampoos, spot-on and pour-on formulations and in ointments or oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions. For topical application, dips and sprays usually contain 0.5 ppm to 5,000 ppm and preferably 1 ppm to 3,000 ppm of the formula I compound. In addition, the formula I compounds may be formulated as ear tags for animals, particularly quadrupeds such as cattle and sheep.

Suitable preparations are:

-   -   Solutions such as oral solutions, concentrates for oral         administration after dilution, solutions for use on the skin or         in body cavities, pouring-on formulations, gels;     -   Emulsions and suspensions for oral or dermal administration;         semi-solid preparations;     -   Formulations in which the active compound is processed in an         ointment base or in an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion         base;     -   Solid preparations such as powders, premixes or concentrates,         granules, pellets, tablets, boluses, capsules; aerosols and         inhalants, and active compound-containing shaped articles.

Compositions suitable for injection are prepared by dissolving the active ingredient in a suitable solvent and optionally adding further ingredients such as acids, bases, buffer salts, preservatives, and solubilizers. The solutions are filtered and filled sterile.

Suitable solvents are physiologically tolerable solvents such as water, alkanols such as ethanol, butanol, benzyl alcohol, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycols, N-methyl-pyrrolidone, 2-pyrrolidone, and mixtures thereof.

The active compounds can optionally be dissolved in physiologically tolerable vegetable or synthetic oils, which are suitable for injection.

Suitable solubilizers are solvents which promote the dissolution of the active compound in the main solvent or prevent its precipitation. Examples are polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyoxyethylated castor oil, and polyoxyethylated sorbitan ester.

Suitable preservatives are benzyl alcohol, trichlorobutanol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid esters, and n-butanol.

Oral solutions are administered directly. Concentrates are administered orally after prior dilution to the use concentration. Oral solutions and concentrates are prepared according to the state of the art and as described above for injection solutions, sterile procedures not being necessary.

Solutions for use on the skin are trickled on, spread on, rubbed in, sprinkled on or sprayed on.

Solutions for use on the skin are prepared according to the state of the art and according to what is described above for injection solutions, sterile procedures not being necessary.

Further suitable solvents are polypropylene glycol, phenyl ethanol, phenoxy ethanol, ester such as ethyl or butyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, ethers such as alkyleneglycol alkylether, e.g. dipropylenglycol monomethylether, ketons such as acetone, methylethylketone, aromatic hydrocarbons, vegetable and synthetic oils, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, transcutol, solketal, propylencarbonate, and mixtures thereof.

It may be advantageous to add thickeners during preparation. Suitable thickeners are inorganic thickeners such as bentonites, colloidal silicic acid, aluminium monostearate, organic thickeners such as cellulose derivatives, polyvinyl alcohols and their copolymers, acrylates and methacrylates.

Gels are applied to or spread on the skin or introduced into body cavities. Gels are prepared by treating solutions which have been prepared as described in the case of the injection solutions with sufficient thickener that a clear material having an ointment-like consistency results. The thickeners employed are the thickeners given above.

Pour-on formulations are poured or sprayed onto limited areas of the skin, the active compound penetrating the skin and acting systemically.

Pour-on formulations are prepared by dissolving, suspending or emulsifying the active compound in suitable skin-compatible solvents or solvent mixtures. If appropriate, other auxiliaries such as colorants, bioabsorption-promoting substances, antioxidants, light stabilizers, adhesives are added.

Suitable solvents which are: water, alkanols, glycols, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, glycerol, aromatic alcohols such as benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, phenoxyethanol, esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, ethers such as alkylene glycol alkyl ethers such as dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-butyl ether, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclic carbonates such as propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, aromatic and/or aliphatic hydrocarbons, vegetable or synthetic oils, DMF, dimethylacetamide, n-alkylpyrrolidones such as methylpyrrolidone, n-butylpyrrolidone or n-octylpyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, 2-pyrrolidone, 2,2-dimethyl-4-oxy-methylene-1,3-diox-olane and glycerol formal.

Suitable colorants are all colorants permitted for use on animals and which can be dissolved or suspended.

Suitable absorption-promoting substances are, for example, DMSO, spreading oils such as isopropyl myristate, dipropylene glycol pelargonate, silicone oils and copolymers thereof with polyethers, fatty acid esters, triglycerides, fatty alcohols.

Suitable antioxidants are sulfites or metabisulfites such as potassium metabisulfite, ascorbic acid, butylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, tocopherol.

Suitable light stabilizers are, for example, novantisolic acid.

Suitable adhesives are, for example, cellulose derivatives, starch derivatives, polyacrylates, natural polymers such as alginates, gelatin.

Emulsions can be administered orally, dermally or as injections.

Emulsions are either of the water-in-oil type or of the oil-in-water type.

They are prepared by dissolving the active compound either in the hydrophobic or in the hydrophilic phase and homogenizing this with the solvent of the other phase with the aid of suitable emulsifiers and, if appropriate, other auxiliaries such as colorants, absorption-promoting substances, preservatives, antioxidants, light stabilizers, viscosity-enhancing substances.

Suitable hydrophobic phases (oils) are:

liquid paraffins, silicone oils, natural vegetable oils such as sesame oil, almond oil, castor oil, synthetic triglycerides such as caprylic/capric biglyceride, triglyceride mixture with vegetable fatty acids of the chain length C₈-C₁₂ or other specially selected natural fatty acids, partial glyceride mixtures of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids possibly also containing hydroxyl groups, mono- and diglycerides of the C₈-C₁₀ fatty acids, fatty acid esters such as ethyl stearate, di-n-butyryl adipate, hexyl laurate, dipropylene glycol perlargonate, esters of a branched fatty acid of medium chain length with saturated fatty alcohols of chain length C₁₆-C₁₈, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, caprylic/capric acid esters of saturated fatty alcohols of chain length C₁₂-C₁₈, isopropyl stearate, oleyl oleate, decyl oleate, ethyl oleate, ethyl lactate, waxy fatty acid esters such as synthetic duck coccygeal gland fat, dibutyl phthalate, diisopropyl adipate, and ester mixtures related to the latter, fatty alcohols such as isotridecyl alcohol, 2-octyldodecanol, cetylstearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, and fatty acids such as oleic acid and mixtures thereof.

Suitable hydrophilic phases are: water, alcohols such as propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol and mixtures thereof.

Suitable emulsifiers are:

non-ionic surfactants, e.g. polyethoxylated castor oil, polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monostearate, glycerol monostearate, polyoxyethyl stearate, alkylphenol polyglycol ether;

ampholytic surfactants such as di-sodium N-lauryl-p-iminodipropionate or lecithin; anionic surfactants, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, mono/dialkyl polyglycol ether orthophosphoric acid ester monoethanolamine salt; cation-active surfactants, such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride.

Suitable further auxiliaries are: substances which enhance the viscosity and stabilize the emulsion, such as carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose and other cellulose and starch derivatives, polyacrylates, alginates, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, copolymers of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, polyethylene glycols, waxes, colloidal silicic acid or mixtures of the substances mentioned.

Suspensions can be administered orally or topically/dermally. They are prepared by suspending the active compound in a suspending agent, if appropriate with addition of other auxiliaries such as wetting agents, colorants, bioabsorption-promoting substances, preservatives, antioxidants, light stabilizers.

Liquid suspending agents are all homogeneous solvents and solvent mixtures.

Suitable wetting agents (dispersants) are the emulsifiers given above.

Other auxiliaries which may be mentioned are those given above.

Semi-solid preparations can be administered orally or topically/dermally. They differ from the suspensions and emulsions described above only by their higher viscosity.

For the production of solid preparations, the active compound is mixed with suitable excipients, if appropriate with addition of auxiliaries, and brought into the desired form.

Suitable excipients are all physiologically tolerable solid inert substances. Those used are inorganic and organic substances. Inorganic substances are, for example, sodium chloride, carbonates such as calcium carbonate, hydrogencarbonates, aluminium oxides, titanium oxide, silicic acids, argillaceous earths, precipitated or colloidal silica, or phosphates. Organic substances are, for example, sugar, cellulose, foodstuffs and feeds such as milk powder, animal meal, grain meals and shreds, starches.

Suitable auxiliaries are preservatives, antioxidants, and/or colorants which have been mentioned above.

Other suitable auxiliaries are lubricants and glidants such as magnesium stearate, stearic acid, talc, bentonites, disintegration-promoting substances such as starch or crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, binders such as starch, gelatin or linear polyvinylpyrrolidone, and dry binders such as microcrystalline cellulose.

In general, “parasiticidally effective amount” means the amount of active ingredient needed to achieve an observable effect on growth, including the effects of necrosis, death, retardation, prevention, and removal, destruction, or otherwise diminishing the occurrence and, activity of the target organism. The parasiticidally effective amount can vary for the various compounds/compositions used in the invention. A parasiticidally effective amount of the compositions will also vary according to the prevailing conditions such as desired parasiticidal effect and duration, target species, mode of application, and the like.

The compositions which can be used in the invention can comprise generally from about 0.001 to 95% of the compound of formula I.

Generally it is favorable to apply the compounds of formula I in total amounts of 0.5 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg per day, preferably 1 mg/kg to 50 mg/kg per day.

Ready-to-use preparations contain the compounds acting against parasites, preferably ectoparasites, in concentrations of 10 ppm to 80 percent by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 65 percent by weight, more preferably from 1 to 50 percent by weight, most preferably from 5 to 40 percent by weight.

Preparations which are diluted before use contain the compounds acting against ectoparasites in concentrations of 0.5 to 90 percent by weight, preferably of 1 to 50 percent by weight.

Furthermore, the preparations comprise the compounds of formula I against endoparasites in concentrations of 10 ppm to 2 percent by weight, preferably of 0.05 to 0.9 percent by weight, very particularly preferably of 0.005 to 0.25 percent by weight.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the compositions comprising the compounds of formula I them are applied dermally/topically.

In a further preferred embodiment, the topical application is conducted in the form of compound-containing shaped articles such as collars, medallions, ear tags, bands for fixing at body parts, and adhesive strips and foils.

Generally it is favorable to apply solid formulations which release compounds of formula I in total amounts of 10 mg/kg to 300 mg/kg, preferably 20 mg/kg to 200 mg/kg, most preferably 25 mg/kg to 160 mg/kg body weight of the treated animal in the course of three weeks.

For the preparation of the shaped articles, thermoplastic and flexible plastics as well as elastomers and thermoplastic elastomers are used. Suitable plastics and elastomers are polyvinyl resins, polyurethane, polyacrylate, epoxy resins, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, polyamides and polyester which are sufficiently compatible with the compounds of formula I. A detailed list of plastics and elastomers as well as preparation procedures for the shaped articles is given e.g. in WO 03/086075.

The present invention is now illustrated in further detail by the following examples.

P. PREPARATION EXAMPLES P.1 Acetic acid 2-[3-(7-bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yl)-thioureido]-ethyl ester Compound Example 6 of Table 1

To a solution of 7-bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-ylamine (0.32 g) in 10 ml toluene was added acetic acid 2-isothiocyanato-ethyl ester (0.20 g) at RT and stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo and the residue purified on silica gel to yield 0.42 g of the product (80%) as an oil.

P.2 Benzoic acid 2-[3-(5-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yl)-thioureido]-ethyl ester Compound Example 7 of Table 1

To a solution of 5-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-ylamine (0.32 g) in 10 ml toluene was added benzoic acid 2-isothiocyanato-ethyl ester (0.37 g) at RT and stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo and the residue purified on silica gel to yield 0.32 g of the product (46%) as a colorless solid, m.p. 135-137° C.

P.3 Isonicotinic acid 2-(3-indan-1-yl-thioureido)-ethyl ester Compound Example 13 of Table 1

To a solution of thiophosgene (4.14 g) in chloroform was added at RT a solution of 13.25 g potassium carbonate in 70 ml of water. To this mixture was added a solution of indanyl-1-amine (4.00 g) in chloroform (100 ml) and the mixture stirred at RT overnight. The reaction mixture was washed with water (2×) and the organic phase dried over sodium sulfate. Evaporation of the solvent yielded the product (5.20 g, 99%) which was used for the following step without further purification.

2.97 g of this crude isothiocyanate was dissolved in toluol (70 ml) and treated with 2-aminoethanol for 2 h at 90° C. The mixture was concentrated in vacuo and the residue titurated with light petrol ether. The solid product was separated by filtration and dried in vacuo (yield: 3.88 g, 97%) and used without further purification for the next step.

A solution of 1-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-3-indan-1-yl-thiourea (0.47 g) and triethyl amine (0.44 g) in THF (20 ml) was treated with a solution of isonicotinyl chloride hydrochloride (0.36 g) in 6 ml THF and the mixture stirred for 4 h at 50° C. After concentration in vacuo the mixture was dissolved in ethyl acetate and washed with water, the organic layer dried separated and dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel yielding a colorless powder (0.27 g) of the product (39%), m.p. 126-128° C.

P.4 Methoxy-acetic acid 2-(3-indan-1-yl-thioureido)-ethyl ester Compound Example 14 of Table 1

A solution of 1-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-3-indan-1-yl-thiourea (0.47 g, prepared according to the procedure described for example 16) and triethyl amine (0.44 g) in THF (20 ml) was treated at RT with a solution of methoxy acetyl chloride (0.22 g) in THF (6 ml) and stirred for 10 h at 50° C. The reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo, dissolved in ethyl acetate, washed with water and dried over sodium sulfate. The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified over silica gel to yield the product (0.36 g) in 58% yield.

P.5 (S)-1-Indan-1-yl-3-[2-(thiazol-2-yloxy)-ethyl]-thiourea Compound Example 20 of Table 1

A solution of the S-isomer of 1-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-3-indan-1-yl-thiourea (0.50 g, prepared according to the procedure described for example 16, starting from enantiomerically pure (S)-indanyl-1-amine) in dimethylformamide (30 ml) was treated with potassium carbonate (0.37 g) and 2-bromothiazole (0.43 g) and heated at 45° C. for 6 h. After additional stirring overnight at RT an additional amount of potassium carbonate (0.15 g) was added and the solution stirred at 55° C. for 5 h.

Surplus of carbonate was removed by filtration, the filtrate concentrated and the reminder purified via chromatography on silica gel. This yielded the product (0.39 g, 58%) as an oil.

C. COMPOUND EXAMPLES

The compounds of the general formula I can be prepared accordingly. The spectroscopical data of these compounds are listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Physico-chemical data (melting point [° C.]; Ex. n R¹ R² R³ R⁴ C-1 ¹H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ [ppm]) 1 2 1′-OCH₃ H H H rac. 172-173 2 2 — H H H rac. 107-109 3 2 — —C(═O)CH2-O—CH₃ H H rac. 1.45 (s), 1.8-2.2 (m), 2.7- 2.3 (m), 3.35-3.45 (m), 3.2-3.95 (mc), 3.9-4.0 (mc), 4.3-4.5 (m,), 5.7-5.8 (m), 6.15-6.25 (m), 7.1- 7.35 (m) 4 2 3′-Cl —C(═O)—CH₃ H H rac. 1.25-1.45 (m), 1.55-1.7 (m), 1.9-1.9 (m,), 2.0-2.15 (m), 2.65-2.85 (m), 3.65- 3.85 (mc), 4.15-4.3 (m), 6.05-6.3 (m,), 7.0-7.35 (m) 5 2 3′-Cl —C(═O)-phenyl H H rac. 1.7-1.95 (m), 2.0-2.2 (m), 2.3-2.8 (m), 3.4-2.65 (m), 4.0-4.1 (m,), 4.45-4.6 (m), 6.15-6.45 (m), 6.95-8.1) 6 2 3′-Br —C(═O)—CH₃ H H rac. 1.3-1.45 (m), 1.5-1.6 (m), 1.8-2.2 (m), 2.65-2.8 (m), 3.7-4.3 (m), 6-0-6.2 (m), 6.95-7.5 (m) 7 2 1′-OCH₃ —C(═O)-phenyl H H rac. 135-137 8 2 3′-Br H H H rac. 158-160 9 1 — —C(═O)-phenyl H H S 1.85 (mc), 2.6 (mc), 2.8- 3.0 (m), 3.9 (s), 4.5 (mc), 5.6 (mc), 6.35 (mc), 6.5 (s), 7.15-7.6 (m), 7.9-8.0 (m) 10 1 —

H H rac. 54-56 11 1 —

H

rac. 1.6 (mc), 2.4 (mc), 2.7 (mc), 4.6-4.8 (m), 5.75 (mc), 6.8-7.4 (m), 7.9-9.2 (m) 12 1 —

H H rac. 1.8 (mc), 2.55 (mc), 2.8-3 (m), 3.7 (mc), 3.95 (mc), 4.5 (mc), 5.7 (mc), 6.6- 6.75 (m), 7.1-7.3 (m), 7.75 (mc), 8.65 (mc) 13 1 —

H H rac. 1.8 (mc), 2.6 (mc), 2.8- 2.9 (m), 3.95 (mc), 4.5 (mc), 5.8-5.9 (m), 6.6- 6.75 (m), 7.1-8.1 (m), 8.6 (mc) 14 1 — —C(═O)CH2—O—CH₃ H H rac. 1.9 (mc), 2.6 (mc), 2.85- 3.05 (m), 3.4 (mc), 3.8- 4.0 (m), 4.35 (mc), 5.6- 5.7 (mc), 6.3 (mc), 7.15- 7.4 (m) 15 1 — H H H rac. 121-122 16 1 — —C(═O)-phenyl H H R 1.85 (mc), 2.6 (mc), 2.8- 3.0 (m), 3.9 (s), 4.5 (mc), 5.6 (mc), 6.35-6.5 (m), 7.15-7.6 (m), 7.9-8.0 (m) 17 1 3′-OCH₃ —C(═O)—CH₃ H H rac. 1.6 (mc), 2.6-3.0 (m), 3.6 (mc), 3.8-3.85 (m), 5.6 (mc), 6.3-7.2 (m) 18 1 1′-Cl —C(═O)-phenyl H H rac. 132-133 19 1 1′-Cl —C(═O)-phenyl H H rac. 128-129 20 1 —

H H rac. 1.7-2.0 (m), 2.6-3.05 (m), 3.6-3.85 (m), 5.7 (mc), 6.2-6.7 (m), 7.15-7.4 (m) 21 1 —

H H rac 1.65 (mc), 1.85 (mc), 2.6- 3.05 (m), 3.55.3.8 (m), 5.65 (mc), 6.45-6.7 (m), 7.15-7.4 (m) 22 1 —

H H S 381.15 23 1 —

H H S 331.15 24 1 —

H H S 409.35 25 1 —

H H S 402.35 26 1 —

H H S 388.35 27 1 —

H H S 366.35 28 1 —

H H S 355.35 29 1 —

H H S 399.10 30 1 —

H H S 431.10 31 1 —

H H S 456.10 32 1 —

H H S 383.45 33 1 —

H H S 333.35 34 1 —

H H S 321.45 35 1 —

H H S 391.35 36 1 —

H H S 321.35 37 1 —

H H S 369.35 38 1 —

H H S 361.35 39 1 —

H H S 293.35 40 1 —

H H S 339.35 41 1 —

H H S 371.35 42 1 —

H H S 360.35

B. EXAMPLES OF ACTION AGAINST PESTS

The action of the compounds I against pests was demonstrated by the following experiments:

The active compounds were formulated

-   a. for testing the activity against Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae,     and Aphis fabae, as 50:50 acetone:water solutions amended with 100     ppm Kinetic® (surfactant), -   b. for testing the activity against Spodoptera eridania as a 10.000     ppm solution in a mixture of 35% acetone and water, which was     diluted with water, if needed.

After the experiments were completed, in each case the lowest concentration was determined at which the compound still caused an 75 to 100% inhibition or mortality in comparison with untreated controls (limit or minimal concentration).

B.1 Cotton Aphid (Aphis gossypii)

Cotton plants in the cotyledon stage (variety ‘Delta Pine’) are infested with approximately 100 laboratory-reared aphids by placing infested leaf sections on top of the test plants. The leaf sections are removed after 24 hr. The cotyledons of the intact plants are dipped into gradient solutions of the test compound. Aphid mortality on the treated plants, relative to mortality on check plants, is determined after 5 days.

In this test, compounds of examples nos 1-3, 9-17 and 22-41 at 300 ppm showed over 80% mortality in comparison with untreated controls.

B.2 Green Peach Aphid (Myzus persicae)

Pepper plants in the 2^(nd) leaf-pair stage (variety ‘California Wonder’) are infested with approximately 40 laboratory-reared aphids by placing infested leaf sections on top of the test plants. The leaf sections are removed after 24 hr. The leaves of the intact plants are dipped into gradient solutions of the test compound. Aphid mortality on the treated plants, relative to mortality on check plants, is determined after 5 days.

In this test, compounds of examples nos. 1-3, 9, 10-15, 17 and 22-41 at 300 ppm showed over 80% mortality in comparison with untreated controls.

B.3 Bean Aphid (Aphis fabae)

Nasturtium plants in the 1^(st) leaf-pair stage (variety ‘Mixed Jewel’) are infested with approximately 25 laboratory-reared aphids by placing infested cut plants on top of the test plants. The cut plants are removed after 24 hr. The foliage and stem of the test plants are dipped into gradient solutions of the test compound. Aphid mortality is determined after 3 days.

In this test, compounds of examples nos. 12-15 at 300 ppm showed over 80% mortality in comparison with untreated controls. 

1. A Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I

wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein when m is greater than 1, the radicals R¹ may have the same or different meanings; R¹ is selected from hydrogen, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, SO₃H, COOH, cyano, azido, nitro, formyl, CONH₂, CSNH₂, CH═N—OH, CH═N—O—(C₁-C₆)-alkyl, C(═O)R^(1c), C(═S)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₁-C₈-alkylthio, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkenylthio, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynylthio, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy)-carbonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl-)carbonyl-oxy or (C₂-C₆-alkynyl)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl-amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; C(O)NR^(1a)R^(1b), (SO₂)NR^(1a)R^(1b), wherein R^(1a) and R^(1b) are each independently hydrogen, OH, NH₂, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, hydrazino, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; a radical Y—Ar or a radical Y—Cy, wherein Y is a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, C₁-C₆-alkandiyl or C₁-C₆-alkandiyloxy; Ar is phenyl, naphthyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, wherein Ar is unsubstituted or may carry any combination of 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; Cy is C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein the radical R¹ that is bound to adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl rings may form, together with said carbon atoms, a fused benzene ring, a fused saturated or partially unsaturated 5-, 6-, or 7-membered carbocycle or a fused 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocycle, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, and wherein the fused ring is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R² is selected from hydrogen, C(═O)R^(2d), C(═S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfinyl, C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, P(═O)R^(2a)R^(b), P(═S)R^(2a)R^(2b), NR^(2a)R^(2b), SiR^(2a)R^(2b)R^(2c), N═CR^(2a)R^(2b), CR^(2a)═NR^(2b); phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2a), R^(2b) and R^(2c) are selected each independently from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, nitro, formyl, C(═O)R^(3c) or C(═O)R^(4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C(O)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or C(O)NR^(4a)R^(4b), (SO2)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or (SO2)NR^(4a)R^(4b), phenyl, phenyloxy or benzyl, each of the last three mentioned radicals may be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-haloalkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy and C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy radicals; and wherein R^(3a), R^(4a) and R^(3b), R^(4b) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(3c), R^(4c) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen; or the enantiomers and/or the agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salts thereof, with the proviso that compound of formula I is not representing a 3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphtyl)-thio-urea derivative, wherein (R¹)_(m), R³ and R⁴ are hydrogens and R² is hydrogen or R² is CH₃.
 2. An Indanyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein n is
 1. 3. An Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein n is
 2. 4. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein m is 1, 2 or
 3. 5. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein m is 1 or
 2. 6. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein m is
 1. 7. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein R¹ is selected from cyano, azido, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, CONH₂, SO₃H, COOH, C(═O)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy; and wherein R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N.
 8. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), C(═S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl, phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.
 9. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), phenyl or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2d) is selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.
 10. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1, wherein R² is selected from C(═O)R^(2d), phenyl or a bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R^(2d) is selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to I O-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio.
 11. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, C(═O)R^(3c) or C(═O)R^(4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl; and wherein R^(3c), R^(4c) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen.
 12. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, C(═O)R^(3c) or C(═O)R⁴, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl; (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl; and wherein R^(3c), R^(4c) are each independently selected from C₁-C₆-alkyl C₁-C₆-alkoxy, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen.
 13. An Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein R³ and R⁴ are both hydrogen.
 14. An agricultural or veterinary composition comprising at least one Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof, and at least one inert liquid and/or solid agronomically acceptable carrier and, if desired, at least one surfactant.
 15. A method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof.
 16. A method for protecting crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, which comprises contacting a crop with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.
 17. A method for the protection of seeds from soil insects and of the seedlings' roots and shoots from insects comprising contacting the seeds before sowing and/or after pregermination with an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof in pesticidally effective amounts.
 18. The method according claim to 17, wherein the Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I is applied in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seeds.
 19. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 20. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 22. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the animal pest are insects like Homoptera or Coleoptera or arachnids of the order of Acarina.
 23. A method according to claim 17, wherein of the resulting plant's roots and shoots are protected.
 24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the resulting plant's shoots are protected from aphids.
 25. Seed comprising an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally salt thereof in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seed.
 26. A method for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection by parasites which comprises orally, topically or parenterally administering or applying to the animals a parasiticidally effective amount of a Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 1 or the enantiomers and/or at least one veterinary acceptable salt thereof.
 27. A Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I,

wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 1, 2 or 3, wherein when m is greater than 1, the radicals R¹ may have the same or different meanings; R¹ is selected from hydrogen, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, SO₃H, COOH, cyano, azido, nitro, formyl, CONH₂, CSNH₂, CH═N—OH, CH═N—O—(C₁-C₆)-alkyl, C(═O)R^(1c), C(═S)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₁-C₈-alkylthio, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkenylthio, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynylthio, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy)-carbonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl-)carbonyl-oxy or (C₂-C₆-alkynyl-)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl-amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; C(O)NR^(1a)R^(1b), (SO₂)NR^(1a)R^(1b), wherein R^(1a), R^(1b) are each independently selected from hydrogen, OH, NH₂, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, hydrazino, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; a radical Y—Ar or a radical Y—Cy, wherein Y is a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, C₁-C₆-alkandiyl or C₁-C₆-alkandiyloxy; Ar is phenyl, naphthyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, wherein Ar is unsubstituted or may carry any combination of 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; Cy is C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein the radical R¹ that are bound to adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl rings may form, together with said carbon atoms, a fused benzene ring, a fused saturated or partially unsaturated 5-, 6-, or 7-membered carbocycle or a fused 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocycle, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, and wherein the fused ring is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R² is selected from hydrogen, C(═O)R^(2d), C(S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfinyl, C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, P(═O)R^(2a)R^(2b), P(═S)R^(2a)R^(2b), NR^(2a)R^(2b), SiR^(2a)R^(2b)R^(2c), N═CR^(2a)R^(2b), CR^(2a)═NR^(2b); phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2a), R^(2b) and R^(2c) are selected each independently from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, nitro, formyl, C(═O)R^(3c) or C(═O)R^(4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C(O)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or C(O)NR^(4a)R^(4b), (SO2)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or (SO2)NR^(4a)R^(4b) phenyl, phenyloxy or benzyl, each of the last three mentioned radicals may be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-haloalkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy and C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy; and wherein R^(3a), R^(4a) and R^(3b), R^(4b) are each independently hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(3c), R^(4c) are selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen; or the enantiomers and/or the agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salts thereof, with the proviso that compound of formula I is not representing a 3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphtyl)-thio-urea derivative, wherein (R¹)_(m), R³ and R⁴ are hydrogens and R² is hydrogen or R² is CH₃.
 28. An agricultural or veterinary composition comprising at least one Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof, and at least one inert liquid and/or solid agronomically acceptable carrier and, if desired, at least one surfactant.
 29. A method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof.
 30. A method for protecting crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, which comprises contacting a crop with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.
 31. A method for the protection of seeds from soil insects and of the seedlings' roots and shoots from insects comprising contacting the seeds before sowing and/or after pregermination with an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof in pesticidally effective amounts.
 32. The method according claim to 31, wherein the Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I is applied in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seeds.
 33. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 34. The method as defined in claim 30, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 35. The method as defined in claim 31, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 36. The method as defined in claim 31, wherein the animal pest are insects like Homoptera or Coleoptera or arachnids of the order of Acarina.
 37. A method according to claim 31, wherein of the resulting plant's roots and shoots are protected.
 38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the resulting plant's shoots are protected from aphids.
 39. Seed comprising an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally salt thereof in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seed.
 40. A method for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection by parasites which comprises orally, topically or parenterally administering or applying to the animals a parasiticidally effective amount of a Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 27 or the enantiomers and/or at least one veterinary acceptable salt thereof.
 41. A Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I,

wherein n is 1 m is 1 or 2, wherein when m is greater than 1, the radicals R¹ may have the same or different meanings; R¹ is selected from hydrogen, halogen, OH, SH, NH₂, SO₃H, COOH, cyano, azido, nitro, formyl, CONH₂, CSNH₂, CH═N—OH, CH═N—O—(C₁-C₆)-alkyl, C(═O)R^(1c), C(═S)R^(1c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₁-C₈-alkylthio, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkenylthio, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynylthio, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfoxyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy)carbonyl, (C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy)-carbonyl, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl-oxy or (C₂-C₆-alkynyl)carbonyloxy, (C₂-C₆-alkenyl)carbonyl-amino, wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; C(O)NR^(1a)R^(1b), (SO₂)NR^(1a)R^(1b), wherein R^(1a) and R^(1b) are each independently hydrogen, OH, NH₂, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(1c) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, hydrazino, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)hydrazino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; a radical Y—Ar or a radical Y—Cy, wherein Y is a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, C₁-C₆-alkandiyl or C₁-C₆-alkandiyloxy; Ar is phenyl, naphthyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, wherein Ar is unsubstituted or may carry any combination of 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; Cy is C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein the radical R¹ that are bound to adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl rings may form, together with said carbon atoms, a fused benzene ring, a fused saturated or partially unsaturated 5-, 6-, or 7-membered carbocycle or a fused 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocycle, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from 2 oxygen, 2 sulfur and 3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, and wherein the fused ring is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy and C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R² is selected from hydrogen, C(═O)R^(2d), C(═S)R^(2d), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylamino, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfonyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfonyl C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkenylsulfinyl, C₂-C₆-alkynylsulfinyl, C₃-C₁₂-cycloalkyl, P(═O)R^(2a)R^(2b), P(═S)R^(2a)R^(2b), NR^(2a)R^(2b), SiR^(2a)R^(2b)R^(2c), N═CR^(2a)R^(2b), CR^(2a)═NR^(2b); phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; and wherein R^(2a), R^(2b) and R^(2c) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R^(2d) is selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkylamino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, C₂-C₆-alkynylamino, di(C₂-C₆-alkynyl)amino, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, and wherein the carbon atoms in these groups may be substituted by 1 to 3 of a substituent selected by halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkynyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; phenyl or a mono- or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aromatic ringsystem which may contain 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and which are unsubstituted or substituted with any combination of 1 to 5 groups selected from halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, or C₁-C₆-alkylthio; R³, R⁴ are selected from hydrogen, cyano, nitro, formyl, C(═O)R^(3c) or C(═O)R^(4c), C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkoxy)methylen, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfinyl, C₁-C₆-alkylsulfenyl or C₁-C₆-alkylsulfonyl wherein the carbon atoms in the aliphatic radicals of the aforementioned groups may carry any combination of 1, 2 or 3 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, C₂-C₆-alkenyloxy, C₂-C₆-alkynyloxy, C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C(O)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or C(O)NR^(4a)R^(4b), (SO2)NR^(3a)R^(3b) or (SO2)NR^(4a)R^(4b), phenyl, phenyloxy or benzyl, each of the last three mentioned radicals may be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 5 radicals, independently of one another selected from the group consisting of halogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-haloalkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy and C₁-C₆-haloalkoxy radicals; and wherein R^(3a), R^(4a) and R^(3b), R^(4b) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₁-C₆-haloalkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, or C₂-C₆-alkynyl; R^(3c), R^(4c) are each independently selected from hydrogen, C₁-C₆-alkyl, C₂-C₆-alkenyl, C₂-C₆-alkinyl, C₃-C₈-cycloalkyl, C₁-C₆-alkylthio, C₁-C₆-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, di(C₁-C₆-alkyl)amino, phenyl and heteroaryl, which can be a mono- or bicyclic 5 to 10 membered heteroaromatic ring, which contains 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N; with the proviso that at least one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen; or the enantiomers and/or the agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salts thereof, with the proviso that compound of formula I is not representing a 3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphtyl)-thio-urea derivative, wherein (R¹)_(m), R³ and R⁴ are hydrogens and R² is hydrogen or R² is CH₃.
 42. An agricultural or veterinary composition comprising at least one Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof, and at least one inert liquid and/or solid agronomically acceptable carrier and, if desired, at least one surfactant.
 43. A method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally or veterinary acceptable salt thereof.
 44. A method for protecting crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, which comprises contacting a crop with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.
 45. A method for the protection of seeds from soil insects and of the seedlings' roots and shoots from insects comprising contacting the seeds before sowing and/or after pregermination with an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally acceptable salt thereof in pesticidally effective amounts.
 46. The method according claim to 45, wherein the Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I is applied in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seeds.
 47. The method as defined in claim 43, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 48. The method as defined in claim 44, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 49. The method as defined in claim 45, wherein the animal pests are insects, arachnids or nematodes.
 50. The method as defined in claim 45, wherein the animal pest are insects like Homoptera or Coleoptera or arachnids of the order of Acarina.
 51. A method according to claim 45, wherein of the resulting plant's roots and shoots are protected.
 52. A method according to claim 51, wherein the resulting plant's shoots are protected from aphids.
 53. Seed comprising an Indanyl- and Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of the formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one agriculturally salt thereof in an amount of from 0.1 g to 10 kg per 100 kg of seed.
 54. A method for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection by parasites which comprises orally, topically or parenterally administering or applying to the animals a parasiticidally effective amount of a Indanyl- or Tetrahydronaphthyl-amino-thiourea compound of formula I according to claim 41 or the enantiomers and/or at least one veterinary acceptable salt thereof. 